Watching Accelerator

Accelerator episode 12

3rd pov (A/N Changing some shit. They're all from after ww3 because fuck it. Worst was out with the Sisters and is also a hard as fuck character to write, so she is not here.)

The group shifts around a bit, Accelerator needing to stretch his leg out after sitting for so long. Yomikawa sits on one end of the futon, Accelerator's head in her lap, Last Order next to the woman, easily able to slump over and bury her face in the albino's torso if she wants. Yoshikawa is under his legs, gently stroking and massaging along his bad one in order to help it relax and relieve some of the pain. Touma and Mikoto are at her side, Index sprawled over both their laps, while Heaven is on the teenager's other side. Pillows are placed where they are useful, a few blankets being pulled down and the buckets nearby just in case.

Roots and vines, a huge one that probably holds a good amount of weight. "We're close." Esther is looking up, a few steps behind Accelerator, who is peering over his shoulder at her. He looks tired, bags under his eyes, but there's no darkness or anger in him right now, just a sort of thoughtful glint. "Isaac's main body is up there." Accelerator turns forward, grinning with no teeth or darkness, it makes him look cute, almost, though that might just be because he has not the energy to be evil and villainous and his mask right at the moment. "So, we finally reached it." His voice is rough and a bit cracky, anger in the tone, nothing like his face which looked calm.

"You look kind of handsome when you give actual smiles, though I'm really not liking the fact that you are too tired to completely pull together your mask right now, at least not on your face." Yomikawa mutters, petting the white hair on her lap, more than entertained by how soft it is.

"I don't like it either. At least you guys are close to the main body, but you're exhausted and running out of time, Hishigata is hurt, Esther and Houtou have been running around all over the place and fighting, while the Sister is injured and has used her power a bit as well. None of you are in top shape, this fight will not be all that easy." Yoshikawa muses, staring intently at the screen, because she really does not want any of them to get hurt, not in any way, but that's unavoidable in a fight with someone like the asshole.

"I really want to know how he managed to get the damn plant so big, after all it's got to be restricted at least a little by the surrounding buildings, right?" Touma groans, wondering how far the roots go underground as well as how spread they are, because the clean up for that as well as the construction probably took a while, especially with Hishigata's lab underneath.

"I don't think the battle is going to be kind to Accelerator or Esther in specific, they're the two who are going to be the worst off out of the entire group, since Hishigata has already accepted he's going to die. Accelerator's battle is low, he'll be in pain and after everything, I'm honestly expecting him to collapse. Esther will be losing a best friend, again, once they succeed, because there's no way losing the charm will not set free the spirit of the person who was, since that is entirely the reason Houtou was revived." Mikoto sighs heavily, can only imagine the grief and sadness and horror and pain that is going to swamp the blonde, as well as the numbness level of exhaustion that will hit the albino.

"I think I might have an idea of what happened, but I'm not saying a word since I won't be able to either way. Accelerator, you need to be more careful with yourself, because I am surprised you're still standing right now as it is." Heaven scolds the teen, who simply gives him a look - it's not a pout, it's not - before returning it to the screen.

"For you to be so close to his body, I can only hope that means this will be a quick thing, because if you don't hurry, he might yet finish his evolution." Index moans, already dreading having to listen to the man if he manages to succeed in evolving, though honestly it still won't be as bad as if it were in person.

Above them is some open space and a few rather alarmingly large roots. Accelerator lets out a grunt as some of the light appears right in front of him, blocking the path. He stares at it for a few moments, before letting out a stifled grunt, almost folding over. He raises a hand to his head as he struggles to lift it, a sound of pain leaving him, clearly this is just not his day or anything. The others are caught in it too, though they're certainly not the focus, Esther letting out a few grunts of pain herself as the next closest, the Sister, Hishigata and Houtou a few steps behind her. "Wh- what is this?" Esther sounds concerned as she asks, because that could mean any number of things.

"What the fuck is that and how is it hurting you? Tell me it disappeared pretty quickly because watching you in pain will cause me to punch something and I really do not want to break my hand." Yomikawa growls out, her protective mama instincts flaring to life, because there is no way he's not in pain, but she can only hope it ended quickly and was not too bad, because she was there, but she had no way of helping him.

"I am right there with Yomikawa, if that keeps hurting you and you keep making those noises of pain, I will also be punching something, which will inevitably lead to me breaking something." Touma adds, feeling like the albino was about to lie to them in order to get out of having to admit being in pain, still not used to their kindness and support and love and all that other mushy stuff.

"Uhh... Well, I can't really say for how fuckin long it lasted or even what the hell it was, but it hurt pretty bad. Like a body wide headache, bone deep and everything, and it never ended, and after everything else, I was pretty worn down, so I can't even say whether it was just me feeling it that bad or damn not." Accelerator huffs, because he really had not liked that shit, it was horrible and the pain was worse, nothing he did actually affected it, not like that orb before which was different somehow.

"I really don't like how you said that." Yomikawa says, eyeing the teen sprawled across her lap, recalling easily the days where his leg gets bad enough he can't move much, if at all and wonders if this is part of the reason why those days exist, because he pushed the leg so hard while recovering.

"I have to say that's not exactly reassuring, because none of the others appear to be in half as much pain, but they're also not as close as you, so maybe distance is the issue? Did you back up like a smart person, at least?" Heaven asks, because watching his patient continually put himself in danger and be in pain will not make him happy, the fact that said patient is no older than 15 won't make him even slightly happier about it.

"Actually he's in a bit of a problem. His power might be the only thing keeping the others from feeling any pain on the same level as him, which might also be why it's hurting him more, because he's taking a chunk of pain from the other 4 so they can remain standing." Index mutters, pretty sure that's what he is doing, because he is a nice guy for all he claims otherwise, so she wouldn't put it past him.

"Tell me that asshole got what was coming to him for making you suffer this way." Mikoto hisses, glaring at the screen, as if she can force the orb away out of sheer will, sparks trailing along her arms.

"Misaka doesn't like seeing you in pain, she hopes someone helps you soon, whines Misaka Misaka, clutching at you because you are an idiot who would not admit to dying if you thought it would upset another person, especially if they love you." Last Order is indeed clutching onto his shirt, the albino reaching out and gently setting a hand over hers, which has her releasing his clothes to snatch his hand between both of hers. She pulls it to her chest, one tiny hand falling to rest on his wrist, taking comfort in his pulse.

The flower petals, the weird reachers, the brain and then the location of Hirumi, the light bright and something that almost looks like white wings rising from the top of the brain shaped part. The frame containing the orbs, lighting up completely to match the orbs, before disappearing, being sucked into the wing things, which is where Hirumi is, a light flashing, before it starts to glow faster. Hirumi is facing the sky, grinning widely, obviously ecstatic at this development. "At long last, I've obtained it. The Rosenthall's 400 year old wish." Her hair is moving, though from a wind created by the gathered energy or just because that's how it always is, there is no way to tell. "This is what a perfect body combined with a perfect soul-" Gathering above her is a huge purple orb, that does not give off even mildly friendly vibes. "-looks like." The white part where she rests is small compared to the orb, which starts to grow bigger and change color, more of an off color white, with tints of blue.

"Holy shit. What the hell is that and how do you get rid of it?" Mikoto asks, because the giant energy ball makes nervous and she really doesn't like the looks of it, hates the thought of even having to go near it, but those colors... That's the thing currently attacking Accelerator and the rest.

"I don't like where this is going." Yoshikawa states with certainty, because this looks like a build up, which is never good, especially with energy like what the asshole they're dealing with is using, which can not really be put into a category, since she knows nothing about any of the research or magic going into this.

"I really don't like the way it keeps getting bigger, and I hate the fact that he is managing to succeed in his quest just because he managed to slow you down a bit. You're so close, I don't feel it would've taken you much longer to get to him, but he beat you to it just barely." Touma mumbles, hand clenching, because he would give anything to be there helping out.

"I feel like this is extremely dangerous. The level of energy, the type of energy and the size of it all, that's a pretty deadly weapon he's got right there, the question is how is he going to use it?" Index asks, because this is a man trying to create a god and he's already hurting people with his power, so how the energy gets used will also affect his judgment later on, though she can not say for certain how.

"I think I remember this, though it looked way different in person and certainly felt much different." Yomikawa mutters, a chill running down her spine as she remembers the heavy feeling of its oppression, and she was nowhere near it. How much worse must it have been for the five right there by it? She gazes down at the albino in her lap, falling a little more in love with her grouchy, adorable son, because he had to have a lot of strength to stand there, and remain standing, being almost literally in the stuff, the others with him get some respect as well for managing to stay standing.

It gets bigger, and then expands, purple arcs coming out of it, knocking over and destroying telephone lines, billboards, and water containers, without reason, before returning back to the ball, which hovers, doing nothing. "I am now a being-" Hirumi looks exactly the same, the glow flowing through her as well, a wide grin on her face, voice sounding just as happy and crazy as before. "-on par with a god." The golden eye is still creepy and downright wrong, the other one still closed for reasons unknown, her grin the one of a cat that got the canary. "The ideal goal of perfect in every way." She sounds so happy about that, like perfect is not just a word but something more, like perfect is anything more than a word said by people who want to try and force others to be different.

"I really hate the way he is acting like becoming a perfect being is everyone's goal. I assure you, must people laugh at the word perfect." Yoshikawa says with a chuckle, because she knows everyone in her small family is not perfect, knows they are all aware of it, and they don't care because being perfect is not something anyone should strive for.

"I hate the fact that he is acting like becoming a perfect being immediately puts him on a whole different level from everyone else. And what was the point of that ball of energy if he was just going to have it do nothing? Why the fuck does his eye have to be so creepy?" Touma complains, because he really does not like this man at all and he's so damn tired of having to deal with the bullshit he is spouting like he's actually a god.

"Can I punch him? Electrocute him? Hurt him? Please?" Mikoto practically begs, because she hates the word perfect, has always disliked words like perfect, normal and others meant to demean and bring people down like being themselves is not enough, especially after all the tests she was put through with her ability.

"God, this bitch really needs to just stop fucking talking, his voice is annoying as all shit and there is no fuckin way he is actually perfect, because that is a social construct no one actually abides by unless they are not in a good mental health place. Besides, Espers have way too much trauma surrounding words like perfect, average, normal, and he can recall extremely vividly, too much so, having words like that spat at him, as well as others to try and make him more submissive.

"But is he really a being on par with a god? That power didn't seem to go anywhere or do anything and there's only a bunch of light flowing through him. Sure, it looks dangerous and maybe feels dangerous and it hurts when too close to it, but those aren't really the signs of a god, are they?" Heaven asks, because he knows a little about gods, had been curious during his younger years and read a lot of different books during any free time he had while studying to be a doctor.

"Honestly, nothing he's done so far seems to be god-like in any way, so I don't think I believe it either." Yoshikawa frowns, because she does not like how much power he has, much less the effect the power is having on Accelerator, who happens to be the closest Esper, with the Sister being a level 3 and the others being normal, a magician or a pseudo soul, so they don't count.

Accelerator being pushed back, sliding as the glowing substance forces him away, his crutch leaving the ground as he groans and grunts in pain, almost doubling over from being unbalanced. Esther is staring straight ahead, determined even though Accelerator appears to be having troubles. The Sister is staring at the blonde as well, clearly waiting for an explanation or anything. "No, this power... Don't tell me his evolution is complete?!" She sounds a mix of annoyed and angry, though there is a bit of fear there as well. Hishigata looks weaker still, the light clearly getting to him. "In other words, looks like time is up." His voice is weak, the pain almost too much from him. Accelerator is just barely managing to remain standing with the light right in front of him, though he's at least got his balance at the moment. Another pulse seems to go through it and Accelerator lets out a small, pained groan, doubling over but not falling to his knees, gritting his teeth audibly.

Yomikawa scowls, her fist tightening. She's not usually one for fighting, but watching her son, her child in everything but blood cry out in pain, double over in pain and be forced back by something that is hurting him, it hits instinct and buttons she was not even aware of and her first instinct is to protect her child, by fighting the problem for him.

Touma and Mikoto silently share a glance, promising to protect the albino resting by them, because he is their brother, and he is an idiot who would pretend to act and be strong when he needs a break, needs someone else to take over, to help him shoulder the burden and get a break and some breathing room. They nod to each other, the exchange simple in its entirety, and then turn back to the screen.

"I'm glad they know he's got his evolution complete and everything, but their strongest person is struggling and she's not offering help of any kind, which kind of bothers me. He may be her Master in her eyes, but even teachers need help sometimes, especially since he's only just older than her." Index points out, because nothing against the blonde but Accelerator is clearly struggling, is having problems with everything happening and she - the one with the best chance of doing anything - is not making a single move to help him.

"Not gonna lie, for being a student and friend in equal measures, even if our lovely son won't admit it, she is kind of failing as a friend right now, and a bit as a student as well, because loyal students who care can tell when their Master is struggling and needs to have some support. But, it might also be that the power gives off such a strong gravity she can not move, so I don't think it's all on her, though she certainly could've tried harder." Yoshikawa counters easily, because she has a pretty good idea what the power might feel like, after being around so many strong powers while researching.

"Misaka wishes she was with you to offer you support, because she really does not like watching you in pain like this. Please, you have to be ok, pleads Misaka Misaka, so, so tired of seeing you in all kinds of pain, whether they are mental or physical, because you deserve better even if you won't admit it." Last Order cuddles closer to his hand, blinking her eyes open - tears gathered at the corners but not falling - when he gently cups her face, before she leans into the warmth, getting comfortable.

"I think that after all this, you really should take a break. But, I doubt you will because you are you and you never leave a job unfinished unless something far more urgent and important to you comes up." Heaven rubs at his forehead, trying his absolute hardest to not seem exasperated, but that's exactly what he is so he fails at it, instead just having a tired sigh and looking to the ceiling like it might give him the patience, because it's about the only thing that will help him in the hospital.

His teeth are in fact grit, and then the light manages to cut him, a small line of red across his cheek, which clearly surprised him, with him staring at it for a second. He lowers his head as the pain and struggle get worse. 'I can't reflect.' He inhales sharply, his thoughts sounding strained and stretched thin. He also sounds tired, this must be taking everything he has, especially since he's already so low on battery and power. 'What kind of craptastic power is this?' The strain and struggle is so bad he can't even bear to speak out loud, but the others appear to be more or less unaffected, so maybe since he's in front, it's focusing more on him?

"Good god, you can't even speak out loud because it's so bad? And it managed to cut you?" Yoshikawa demands in horror, because his power has never failed to reflect anything, though this is magic, he had still managed to avoid getting hurt earlier so is it that much stronger that it can hurt him now?

"I don't like the sight of blood, but seeing your blood just pisses me off." Mikoto clenches her fist, then uncurls it, knows she'll hurt herself if she doesn't, then grabs some more candy, prepared to eat that for her stress and anger, because her powers are dulled here - rightfully so or she might've overloaded the system and shocked everyone here - so there is no other way for her to really get it out.

"I really don't like how they're letting you take the burden alone. Hishigata and the Sister might not be able to help, but Houtou or Esther should be able, should they not? She's a necromancer, she should be able to know some way to deal with that, it's a magic of some kind that has to be connected to necromancy or it wouldn't work. Houtou could literally come up and support you, make sure you don't get hurt further. What are they doing?" Touma hisses, because they're supposed to be his friends, to help him, but they're not even trying at the moment. He gives a small smile at 'craptastic' but he can't get much joy out of that when there's so much strain to the thought.

"To think this would be left all on you even though she's the one who asked for your help as a favor. Esther is not doing herself any favors right now." Index murmurs, biting into her food and narrowing her gaze because there is no reason, no excuse that lets her get away with leaving everything to him, especially since she met him in a hospital and it was pretty obvious he was admitted there.

The monster roots, three of them slithering forward with roars. They're met with resistance, a group of armored people opening fire, the gunshots echoing a bit in the small space. The bullets don't have much effect, but it's all they have. "You can't stop us from enacting absolute justice in Academy City! We are justice!" This is clearly the leader, his voice loud and clear over the fighting. The roots are having troubles, the gunfire too much for them at the moment. "Justice!" Another calls out. "Justice!" They all cry at some point, not in sync or for a purpose other than to show they are standing together. One of them is grabbed by a thin vine, easily lifted into the air with a scream, before being fed right to one of the monster roots, his screaming cut off with a crunch. Two more are eaten with a thick crunch, one screaming and the other letting out an extremely high pitched yelp, the DA left alive opening fire with his gun. "For Justiiiii-" He drags the word out as he draws a pistol and starts firing that. "-iiice!" He's eaten with a crunch and cracks, a groan escaping him and nothing more.

"Is he still trying to get more power? He's already finished his evolution, why keep eating people?" Mikoto demands in horror, barely stopping herself from throwing up since that crunch was not a nice sound, deep and disturbing, nothing else it could be but bone.

"Misaka does not like this man's greed, he is pushing things too far and hurting Dad in doing so, there's no reason for that, none at all. States Misaka Misaka, annoyed at the state of everything happening, as well as trying to hold back tears for the killed people." Last Order scoots around a bit, curling up, Accelerator's back letting out a pop as he slumps where her legs were, before he pulls her close to him with the arm he is holding hostage. She comes easily, curling up with her head resting on his shoulder.

"I mean, I'm glad DA isn't around anymore, but there really are better ways they could've been rid of, like prison and jail." Touma grumbles, wincing at the crunch of bones, knowing it well from the numerous times he's broken others bones, Accelerator included in that.

"There has to be a reason he's still eating them," Yoshikawa murmurs, watching it all, flinching at the crack and crunch of bone, a sound she hates with every fiber of her being, because she knows it so well, from failed and successful projects alike, had forced herself not to react then but as a person, an adult and someone who wants to be a teacher, she had always broken down in her room, because kids should never be ok or fine with sounds like that. Never, not in the way Touma and Accelerator and Mikoto are.

"That explains a few things actually." Yomikawa mutters, trying to remember how many bodies they had not expected but had found anyway. There had been a rather large number, since there was no official count for DA numbers.

"That explains so fucking much. I wonder what the fuck happened to him though? Like, shit, these assholes don't deserve to rot in jail after killing people, but they really didn't deserve a death as disgusting and brutal as that, jesus." Accelerator sneers, remembering the next set of events, eating more than was necessary probably fucked his balance between needed to evolve and greedy, which allowed whatever the fuck they saw.

"I don't think he's going to like the results of his greed, as well as his lust because that's what he is doing, lusting after power and getting greedy with every bit he gets." Index muses, wondering exactly what he had really hoped to get out of all of this, because power only goes so far before one gets tired of it.

The roots and bugle of the plant are still in place and just as ugly as before, a shape that no one ever wanted to lay eyes on. There's a light coming from the top of it, where Hirumi is, far more located and stronger than when the orbs were up. Yomikawa, the man and Ito are all staring, the woman with her gun pointed up so as to not shoot anyone on accident. "The energy... It feels so oppressive." She sounds a bit surprised about that, like she was expecting the energy to feel another way. "Is it some kind of force that monster is emitting?" Ito sounds surprised as well as worried, because if it is, how might they approach something like that. "If that flash thing it used earlier is triggered in an urban environment, the damage could be devastating." The man looks worried as well, but he's got his head on straight, clearly he knows exactly what might happen if they choose to stay there.

"Oppressive? It feels oppressive? Shit, how much stronger must it be touching the energy? How are you still standing?" Mikoto asks, because if it feels oppressive to a woman standing way out on the edges of it, how much stronger is it inside the plant, where the energy would naturally be stronger.

"I have to agree with your teammate, that attack from earlier would be absolutely horrible on an urban environment, especially since there's no way to defend against it that is known at the moment." Touma says, can recall learning something about that during one of his classes, though not very well so he can't remember everything important for why it would be so devastating.

"Shit, for the love of god, there has to be a way to stop him. Esther needs to get there and quickly." Yomikawa states, because if she has to see her son in pain anymore, she might cry and then pick a fight with a dead guy because he hurt her child.

"Is there a way to not agree with Ito here? He's right, that force given off by the monster is unnaturally oppressive, something it's using to keep people trapped or away, maybe? What's the point of the oppression? Is it possible it's natural because he is on par with a god?" Yoshikawa inquires, naturally curious about all of this as well as how to use these as weaknesses against him, because there has to be something. She knows he's already dead, but others may yet try again.

"Goddamn, you can feel it from the fuck out there? How much power did he just fuckin snatch from people? Asshole couldn't be content with what he had, just had to make it worse on himself, didn't he? There's only so damn much that can be done once you reach a certain level of power, getting higher becomes almost damn impossible and you have to have a certain push to get stronger." Accelerator groans at the assholes lack of thought of any kind, because getting stronger only works to an extent, if you have no one to protect, nothing to guard to make you want to live, then power is what you focus on, but it won't fill the whole carved by loneliness and sadness. He would know.

"Your team is extremely calm as are you, I am impressed to be honest. Though I can't say whether that's experience or just training since I know that is part of the regiment." Heaven mutters, shifting a bit in his curiosity, since he is a doctor and while they aren't as bad as researchers, they can get pretty close.

Hirumi leans back, arching her back, hands out to the side, gloating to herself, enjoying the power and energy flowing through her body. "This is what I've been seeking. The more that I consume, the more my power increases." It sounds like the power has already gone to her head, a hint of something else in her voice as she speaks, not something a psychopath really needed anymore of. The light from the white part looks pretty from farther away, the entire plant starting to shake. The school creaks and rumbles, the vines that were in place growing further, covering more. She's laughing, the sound one a killer might make to unnerve their prey. The strange energy is glowing and flowing faster through her, almost pretty. She's grinning wildly, eye wide in happiness and power, clearly enjoying every moment of it. "As long as there's food my strength will be limitless." The ability to turn humans into food in one's own mind is never a good sign for one's sanity. "I'll become the ultimate being, surpassing even a level of a god."

"I want to gouge out my eardrums in order to stop having to hear his voice, is that a bad thing?" Index deadpans, wanting desperately to no longer have to hear him gloating, his greed, his lust, his desire going too far way too easily.

Laughter rings out, several of them surprised, the tension that had slowly been gathering destroyed within a few seconds.

"Oh my god, no! If anything, he just needs a little tweaking and his brain will no longer be connected to his damn voice, that or just crush his throat and stop him from talking that way. For the love of all things unholy, don't hurt yourself when you could just stop the jackass from talking first." Accelerator protests immediately, not wanting to see the tiny, younger girl hurt in any way, similar to how Last Order and the Sisters make him feel. He's started to feel that way towards Mikoto as well, along with all his family, though Yomikawa and Touma can take care of themselves, Yoshikawa has issues with actually hurting other people and Heaven is a doctor that would only hurt another in self defense.

"Goddamn, I agree, but no, just focus less on the voice and more on what he's saying, though that might make you more angry rather than less, so maybe just... focus on his constant moving? I don't think there's a way to not have you get angry with him." Touma frowns, but there's no way Index won't get angry at everything the asshole is doing, not when he is getting angry and he is usually the calmer one.

"Misaka thinks taking out your eardrums would be too much trouble and would just make the man very happy, do not give him any satisfaction, warns Misaka Misaka, worrying over whether she needs to check the others for signs of hurting themselves, because some people just really make you want to- What are these, demands Misaka Misaka?" Last Order pulls the hand that was cradling her cheek to her face, observing with a judging frown the half circles along the palm, before whipping around to face the albino, who blinks down at her.

"Accelerator, why didn't you say anything? My room is stocked with bandages and all sorts of medical supplies, treating those won't take long. Also, no doing anything to eardrums while I do this." Heaven says with a warning in his voice, despite the smile on his face. He heads off, Accelerator staying right where he is, until the man comes back with peroxide as well as a gauze pad and medical tape. He sets to work, ignoring the hisses of pain from the albino.

"Damn, I can only imagine the things the man would do to get people to hurt themselves or others, I could easily see him pitting people against each other in order to feel a bit of joy and then laughing as they kill the survivor. He seems like that kind of person." Yomikawa mutters, mentally going through the files of mentally insane or unstable criminals and finding he matches them pretty well.

"I just find his everything repulsive. If it wouldn't hurt like shit and make living impossible, I would probably quite happy get rid of every memory involving him, but fuck that, I will put up with remembering him if it means I get to remember being with you guys too." Mikoto says, leveling an unimpressed and extremely judging look at the screen, wondering what about becoming a god sounds even remotely nice, just sounds lonely and boring as fuck to her.

Her face falls, losing all emotion. "And once-" The faint outline of a DA helmet appears over her face, clearly one of the many people she had assimilated in her conquest to speed up her evolution. The eyes are glowing red, the jagged line across the mask making her look more menacing. "-The process is complete, then I'll be able to bring true justice-" There's a smooth, definite male voice speaking as well alongside hers, making it sound almost double edged. "-to Academy City." She gasps in shock, looking almost scared. "That wasn't me talking just now." Her face falls again and the mask reappears. "Deliver true justice to Academy City. True justice." Her one eye is closed, the other still a golden color though it's half lidded, the red of the mask brighter than it. "True justice." A black aura starts to seep from where her hips connect to the plant. "Justice. Justice." Many voices are saying it now, female, male all of them are speaking, saying just one word. "Justice. Justice." The black aura covers her completely, though she can still be seen, her head tipped back, both eyes closed for once.

"That can't be good at all..." Touma murmurs, at almost the same time that Index yells, "Look at what your greed did to you, you rotten soul!"

"I mean, you're both right. But I want to know what that means, because I doubt it could possibly be anything good, especially since DA appears to be taking over his body? His conscious? Well they appear to be winning and they're pretty set on a lot of destruction, so them having that much power is not a good thing." Yomikawa groans, because the thing had been acting pretty weird around this time, but they had no way of knowing exactly what was going on from where they were, so unfortunately she can't say what was and wasn't the man.

"God, their justice deserves nothing, since they're pretty likely to get rid of the dark side in their quest for true justice, with their messed up damn morals and the multitude of them most likely not agreeing on what exactly to start on, with most of the people he assimilated having been DA." Mikoto growls, can only imagine how bad the dumbass must be regretting his choice, but hindsight really is 50/50 and there's nothing better to do than watch karma bite him in the ass.

"The way his face lost all emotion is what bothers me, though the mask overlapping the face is not a great visual either because I feel like that means the DA consciousness is stronger due to their being more of them, and their desire is stronger than his because of that, but what does that mean for the girl?" Yoshikawa asks despite really not wanting to know the answer, because there's only some things you can get away with not asking and this is not one of them, not when the blonde who must pierce the charm is close to the girl.

"Surely nothing good, though it's hard to say whether they corrupted the charm of Taowu or if they infected the part that was entirely Isaac seeing as how they appear to be two completely different things and Taowu no longer seems to exist at the moment." Heaven responds as he stands, Accelerator's hand wrapped with medical tape, though the entire thing might've been a bit much, it's important because Accelerator has never been sick, much less wounded and had it get infected, anything new to his body could easily cause him to go into shock.

"Misaka just really wants the poor girl to be set free so she is no longer trapped, because that seems like a sad way to be stuck, mutters Misaka Misaka unhappily, wondering if she would ever have to face something similar when she dies since the Sisters are connected through the Network." Last Order shifts, sliding back under Accelerator's arm and into his armpit, as comfortable as she can get.

The others share looks, because what would happen to the network were Last Order to perish? Would it remain standing or would it collapse completely?

"Justice. Justice." The last one sounds final in some way and when she opens her eye again, it's black aside from the small pupil which glows more of a red than the gold it had been. She slumps forward, the energy disappearing, no longer running through her and the plant under her, though where it's gone is anyone's guess. She lifts her head up, and if the gold eye was scary, the emotionless black with red pupil is worse, her face showing no actual emotion at all. "Give them justice." Guess assimilating all those people was not a good idea for as much as it sped up the evolution, they appear to have infected her, for a lack of a better word, able to take control.

"This is not good at all." Yomikawa grunts out, because the DA consciousness is not one they've had to deal with, there's no telling what it might do, not like how they might be able to predict the man's actions were he in control.

"I don't like the way his aura changed around him, he seems more like a machine now then before when Taowu was speaking." Mikoto flinches away from the eye, stares at it in horror, because the insanity and glee in the gold one was bad, the emotionless and yet determined look from this is somehow worse, makes her want to hide.

"Nothing is going to plan, is it?" Touma grumbles in irritation, because this is a whole new player on the field they know nothing about and who has a more or less unknown goal since justice could mean a great deal of things, so what the hell is going to happen when they arrive? Will Esther still be able to attack the charm if the asshole is no longer in control of it?

"What the hell is wrong with the DA that their consciousness and desire are stronger than a man willing to literally kill people and put his soul inside a dead corpse to complete a 400 year old damn goal?" Accelerator complains, because this is such a piece of shit, he should not have to fucking deal with this bullshit anymore. 

"I want to know why the DA people were able to gather like that. Were they particularly strong in soul or something or is it because they were assimilated for energy?" Heaven inquires in thought, because that does not seem to be something that would happen usually in an instance like this. 

Accelerator lets out a grunt, looking surprised and perhaps a bit scared, a shaky breath leaving him, the orb still pushing up against him as hard as it can. Esther is to his side, braced as well, with the trio having no difficulties because they all weigh enough to not need to brace themselves against the wind being forced at them in an attempt to get them to back up. "Justice. Justice." The orb of light starts changing, going from white and many colors, to purple to a black and then it slowly fades away, disappearing with a whoosh, all of them letting out a gasp as if taking in their first deep breath in ages, jolting forward a bit since they're no longer pushing against a strong wind. They all pause, Houtou looking over her shoulder. "It seems the power vanished." Accelerator moves forward, the area dark except for a single area of light which is just barely able to be seen.

"I'm glad you're not being hurt anymore, but for it to be so bad that all of you were pushing against it so hard, especially you and to be pushed back? I don't like it. And on top of that, the way it just disappeared? Not normal." Yomikawa mutters, staring at where the energy had been, her hand not in soft white hair resting on the albino's shoulder, barely managing not to hold on.

"I don't like the way it disappeared either. It was slow and almost methodical, but not quite right for energy." Yoshikawa groans, trying to recall everything she knows, though it's possible it's magic which in theory might be able to go away like that, but there's no way to actually know.

"I hate everything about this. The energy disappearing is both good and bad, but at least you can breathe and move again. Fuckin asshat isn't there to stop you." Mikoto grumbles, though she is really curious to see what they do next because there's no way that they get there quickly by moving forward still.

"What are you going to do? There's no way to actually make it on time if you keep moving at the space you have been, least of all if that bastard manages to come back and block you again, with that energy that not even you could avoid or with anything else." Touma wonders, because the teen won't answer - likely can't either - but it's always interesting the way his brother chooses to do things, not like others but certainly more creative.

"Just don't hurt yourself. The toll on your body is already pretty bad and you're still recovering." Heaven stresses, trying to remind his patient that he was not completely healed at this point, though there's also not much point since this already happened. 

"Doesn't matter. As long as we can keep moving." He stops and then crouches, his movements surprisingly smooth for someone with a crutch. He has one eye closed in a silent admittance of the strain and exhaustion he's feeling since no one can see him. The cut on his cheek is not bleeding but it remains, a scratch of red on his skin. He reaches up and turns his battery on. 'I can just barely make it.' It lets out a few beeps, almost staticky sounding. He sounds exhausted, like he knows pushing too much harder will hurt him more than anything, but he's still choosing to do something. The crutch sinks into its case easily, and he shifts his position completely, no longer needing it to support him in any way. He sets his left hand on the ground in front of him, clearly not entirely certain what he's doing yet.

"Are you certain you should be doing that? What if Esther needs your help during the battle?" Index asks, but then getting to the enemy is also important and any more obstacles or blocks will continue to weaken them further, so maybe it is for the best, since he is already low on time and exhausted.

"Misaka does not like how tired you sound, or that you are pushing yourself hard. Murmurs Misaka Misaka, angry that you are going to such lengths but understanding as well because you are extremely protective of those you care for." Last Order snuggles closer, tightening her grip on the albino, refusing to let go in fear she will lose him due to his reckless actions.

"I don't know how you plan on making this work, but here's to fucking hoping it goes well. You really can't afford to have the battery die during this nor can you afford to not make it, so there's not a damn choice, is there?" Yomikawa growls, wanting to cry because no child should be pushed this hard in order to protect what he wants to, but here her child is, being pushed this far and likely further.

"Goddamnit, no one else can do anything can they? You're the only ones still alive inside with even the chance of getting rid of the damn charm, much less everything else. I hate how children are the ones always having to do things like this. They should be able to relax and play and enjoy themselves!" Yoshikawa almost sobs out, not quite crying but she can tell if things keep going this way she certainly will cry, these are kids, no older than 16, she knows she wasn't half as responsible or burdened as they were, not even close, she was studying and learning and hating it all, but knowing she had to do it, not fighting for the city full of people who fear her.

"This actually really sucks. There's no one else to help at all, is there? Fuckin, what the hell are you even doing?" Touma demands, because if he's risking the little time left on his battery he must think it's pretty damn important or he would still be saving it. 

The cut on his cheek is fresh and vivid, his face and part of his shoulder covering the entire view. His exhaustion is easy to see, as well as the strain and burden he is carrying, bags under his eyes, mouth absentmindedly open as he thinks, eyes soft and gentle as he does something he truly loves. 'There may not be wind down here, but if I take into account the rotation of the planet-' He's still crouching, right arm lifted and clenched into a fist as he pushes himself the slightest bit, using power he really can not afford to at this point. '-it's orbital force around the sun, all other factors-' A red glow starts to appear under him, spiraling from where his hand is on the ground, his thoughts heavy with how tired he must be, but not slow by any means. '-and convert them into something that can actually be useful.' The red spiral gets larger, taking up more space, and then his hand, which is touching the center of it, starts to get harder to see as wind gathers around it.

"Wait, that's the kind of formula you have to think of in order to do some of the things you do that shouldn't be possible? And you look so gentle as you do this, but that burden,... You're not going to last, are you?" Yoshikawa murmurs quietly, she can't blame him though, he deserves a break and to get some rest, more than what the city can afford to offer him since it's such a damn mess.

"God, that's some complicated shit you're focusing on. I barely remember any of that stuff from my school years. Haven't needed it in a lot of years, though sometimes in order to figure out an Esper's ability I will draw on bits of it, but never anything like this. You look so happy to be using something you love." Yomikawa can feel her gaze getting softer, fondness and love creeping in, because he really does love being an Esper and having an ability, at least now, though he might've once hated it.

"What are you even turning all that force into? Is that the rotation of the planet we are seeing right fucking now? What?" Mikoto is confused, her power is a bit complicated, but not as much as that, which requires a flexible and creative mind, as well as a good memory to recall all of this information without effort.

"Holy shit, you're so damn strong... I'm really glad for my right hand cause you would've actually killed me the night we fought if I didn't have this power of mine. Though, you didn't appear to be going at it with your all either." Touma mutters, staring in awe as well as a bit of sadness at the stuff the albino is doing, because the tests and experiments done for him to be able to do something like that must've been painful.

"I think the city pushes Espers way too hard, no matter what level they are. You're still human and most of you are pretty young as well, but the city seems to either forget that or purposefully ignore it and that just is stupid, they're going to face a rebellion soon if they don't shape up." Index sighs, can only imagine the devastation the Espers will leave behind once they actually set their minds to it, though most likely will try to avoid letting citizens get hurt, there is still only so much they can do.

"So the battery still works at a good speed, even low, but I'm not certain if you should really be using your power at this point anymore." Heaven frets, because he's glad to see the battery in use and had known the teen was testing it since it is the first of its kind, but there's no need to push it so hard, because if it gets cut off while he's doing this there's no telling what might happen.

Last Order watches, amazed at the way her Dad, who protects her from everything trying to hurt her but does not stop her from doing things that makes her happy even if it puts her at risk, pushes himself to do things he shouldn't, but that will be amazing and with such a complicated thought process for it, with the help of her and her Sisters. 

A trail of wind starts to form along the ground, following the same spiral from earlier, though much slower in appearing than it was, something they can all see instead of something he can see as he calculates. He's focusing intently, teeth grit and eyes clear, nothing can taint or stop him at the moment. He lets out a faint growl and then a wind kicks up, blowing harder in the spiral formation it's taken. The other four are careful to not be blown away, Esther standing in front, Houtou, Hishigata and the Sister all crouching behind her, further from the wind though a spiral is behind them. His hand is no longer directly on the ground, the wind too strong for that. 'Good, I can still-' He looks happy, though the grin is a bit too sharp compared to a smile from others. His focus is on the power and calculation he's doing. '-pull this off.' He sounds excited as he thinks that, giddy almost.

"I'm glad you are so happy, though I'm not certain you should really be doing this. But, you're smiling, so you must know pretty well the battery's limits. Here's hoping that's right, because I would not be able to stop you, not when you look happy." Yomikawa grins, because while his grin is a bit more teeth than most would expect, that is indeed a smile that shows he's happy and enjoying himself.

"I'm just surprised that's what you have to do in order to do all those impossible things you do. It makes sense though, why you never tried to explain it to us, after all, we would never have been able to keep up." Yoshikawa smiles, going through all her memories of him using his power, aware now of which ones likely required a long complicated formula like that, but he managed to do it in a short amount of time. She's a bit sad though, because that is definitely slower than it would be if he could use his full power and had not been injured.

"Are we certain he was injured, because he seems to have recovered pretty damn well from an injury that bad. I love that he's enjoying himself and everything, but other than being limited to 15 minutes and then having no movement, no nothing that he needs, he appears pretty similar, though the darkness and anger I saw in him are definitely gone." Mikoto watches, because getting to see an Esper do something they actually love involving their power is rare, most wanting to be a higher - or depending on their level - lower level, of struggling with other teenager or just human problems.

"I wish everything were this easy, you should've been able to fucking just be doing this te entire damn time you were recovering, not fighting, getting hurt and having to push yourself further than even you wanted to go." Touma complains, because really, why can an Esper recovering from an injury never get a break, he often has to leave the hospital still injured in order to finish a fight, though he's in there with less serious injuries, typically.

"I want to know how this is going to help. What is the wind going to do at this point?" Index tilts her head, trying to put together what he's planning, munching on a muffin, ignoring the hand flailing from Touma once he realizes crumbs are getting on his lap.

"Hmm... I think Misaka might have an idea, but Misaka won't say anything because she wants to see it, declares Misaka Misaka, watching in awe at the thing's her Dad can do." Last Order is indeed staring at the screen with her mouth hanging open, watching it all, enjoying what she thinks he might be trying to do, she might be tempted to ask him to do it for her, if he will. 

The wind is blowing everything around, his hair and clothes. His shirt lifts easily with the strength, revealing his pale back, though the wind then increases in strength and starts forming into 4 almost mini tornadoes, chunks of rock and ground lifting into the air with the force. Esther stares in awe, watching it all happen, the wind around her but not bothering her at all. "Woah. What the...?" She sounds amazed as well, watching him. Houtou grunts, looking up as well, and the look in her eyes is something similar to awe as well. The Sister has a hand on her head, perhaps keeping a pin in, watching with her own set of emotions, though amazement is one of them, a small grunt escaping her. Accelerator starts to laugh as he lifts off the ground, maintaining an upright position. Esther is lifted bridal style with a gasp, Houtou is almost horizontal and the Sister lets out a few gasps as she's lifted with her face up almost horizontal. Hishigata lets out a single grunt, almost folded in half to keep from bothering his injury. They all fly through the air, easily lifted by the fast and strong wind.

"That looks like so much fun! But how on Earth did you get the wind that strong?" Touma is so amazed by how versatile Accelerator's powers really are, watching in a certain amount of awe, because there really are no limits with his mind.

"I think that is the coolest thing you have done so far, aside from the literal tornado of fire. Your power is constantly shifting, fitting the needs of yourself, though I disapprove of not saying anything to the others." Yoshikawa tells the albino, pointing a finger at the teen in question who just groans and makes a half hearted swat in her direction.

"It was the best damn plan I fucking had since I had to conserve my battery life, alright? Don't fuckin get on me about that, damnit." Accelerator wonders what they'll think soon, because he knows the damn man was not quite right when they approached him, so something must've happened.

"I think you are a truly smart child, but kid, you have to remember you are human, not a monster and you do need to rest.'' Yomikawa starts running her fingers through his hair to soothe herself, though the way he relaxes is a bonus in her opinion.

"It's a pretty good plan, assuming it works. They'll get to the man in no time at all, and there's very few ways to block them, while only exhausting one person who's already getting close to done anyways since his battery won't last long and he's done most of the fighting, as well as running around." Index muses, wondering how much his body must ache and be begging for him to rest, especially since he has not had a single break since he left the hospital to track the kidnapped Sister, but he is still going.

"Is this what you were doing this entire time?" Heaven asks with a sigh, because no wonder he had come in looking so damn bad, he'd had no breaks, no rest, and he's charged the battery once, before using it to empty - at least that's what he could tell since there was no light on at all - which likely was too much for him to handle. Explains why he was sleeping so deeply the little sleep he did get.

"Honestly, I'm just more surprised this asshole managed to lift all of them, because their weight would change the formula the slightest and he did not ask any of them for their weight, with only the knowledge of the Sisters at best." Mikoto mumbles, wondering if she can maybe get some hints or something from him in order to help with her ability, because she can be pretty creative and such, but she's recently hit a slump and would love some help, even if he has not earned her complete forgiveness yet.

Hirumi is surrounded, DA people - potentially dead - wrapped in vines all around her, her face covered in the dark from her bangs, emotions and everything else lacking. "Bring Justice. True Justice. -City." Some of the words are hard to make out from the number of voices overlapping. She grunts, a clear change to be seen, though her eye remains as the black with red. "What is going on with me?" She sounds frustrated and a bit frightened as well. She lifts both hands, grinding them into her head, like that can get them to stop. "Where are these voices coming from?" It sounds hysterical, clearly not knowing bothers her a lot and there's nothing she can do. She lets out a bit of a scream, sounding entirely annoyed. "This body's mine!" Her arms wrap around herself as if to confirm that. "Get out!" The last word becomes distorted by many voices, the red and black eye looking evil in the lightning.

"Dear god, he really is trying to keep control but there's no way he can, is there? DA has already overwhelmed him once, and appears to be yet again, so what chance does he have?" Yoshikawa leans closer, careful of the legs on her lap, but wanting to get a closer look, especially since even in control the eye had not returned to gold but rather stayed as it was.

"I want to know what is up with his eye, like fuckin god, the gold was bad but this black with red shit is just terrifying. How the actual fuck is one supposed to look him in the eye and stab him?" Mikoto demands, because just seeing it through the screen has her shivering, dread forming in her chest, like he might be able to reach out and kill her with ease.

"I don't like the way they're fighting, it's almost like they're literally tugging at each other and I can't tell if it's affecting the body in any way or if it's all mental only." Yomikawa states, because she has been watching and the movements suggest that the one in control moves it, but they are constantly fighting mentally, trying to keep control of the body in order to complete their goal.

"Honestly, I can't tell whether they're destroying the body either, but assuming that there was never meant to be more than one soul - even a pseudo one - inside a body, I can only imagine the strain and toll this is taking on the body." Heaven adds on to her statement, because there are quite a few souls in that body right now, more than it was ever meant to contain, much less hold and that is likely hurting it somehow, despite there being no signs of anything yet.

"Misaka thinks the body will give out, overloaded and overwhelmed by the amount of spirits, explains Misaka Misaka, especially if they are mentally fighting each other they'll eventually overload there as well and then they'll be screwed." Last Order nods a few times while she speaks, to show how serious she is, only to get a quick, painless jab to her side that has her skittering away from the albino who had just tickled her, a pout on her lips at the shriek she had released.

"Stop talking like you know anything, brat. Besides, the body is probably already breaking, it was not ever meant to be used in quite this way, especially for this damn long and this fuckin strong of a power. I doubt the dumbass thought this far ahead, no human body can withstand that much power at once, much less one a corpse possessed by another's soul, meaning it's already fragile as shit." Accelerator grumbles at her, yanking her closer again, petting through her hair with his hand.

"I hope the body is falling apart, the sooner the man is out of it, the better, because there is so much he most answer for." Index states bluntly, all too aware of exactly what the man will likely have to suffer in order to make up for his sins and crimes while alive as well as dead but possessing corpses. 

She gasps, catching sight of something or perhaps finally noticing something after her almost literal internal conflict. She's looking at a section of the plant in front of her, which bulges up a bit and then gets blasted apart by wind, all of them high into the air. She blinks, a wicked teasing grin appearing on her face as they get closer. She laughs a bit as well. The five of them land, the Sister helping Hishigata, all of them crouching to take the impact without hurting themselves. Accelerator still has an eye closed, a bit of sweat on his face from the effort, his movements slow and a bit lacking in their usual grace. 'Guess my battery managed to last long enough.' He's peering at where it is located, the light blinking because it is so low on battery. He opens his other eye, the cut on his cheek red against his white skin and extremely clear in the light. He sounds happy the battery lasted so long. Hishigata lifts his head, his arm around the Sister's shoulder.

"Damn, that really pushed you, didn't it? Why don't you just stand back and let some of the others do something?" Yomikawa says in worry, because he's literally sweating from the effort, but he's never done that as far as she knows and on top of that, that means it's starting to affect his body because he is so low on battery.

"You need to rest, you're lucky it lasted for that little trick, but at least he appears to have regained control of himself after seeing all of you, likely for no other reason than wanting to tease you." Yoshikawa mutters, glaring at the asshole, wondering what it would take to have his soul ripped to shreds and forever removed from any reincarnation cycle.

"I'm impressed the battery has lasted this long as well, but you really shouldn't push it if your body is starting to feel the effects of using your power with your body. The toll will be harsh if you don't." Heaven frets at the albino, though that might explain why he was in such a bad state once he reached the doctor.

"That is honestly not surprising. I want to know how the hell they managed to move in order to get to where they needed to be, because they were not in those positions last we saw." Touma points out, tilting his head, because he understands why the Sister is looking after Hishigata, but they were all upright and exactly where they wanted to be when they came out, a large difference to the chaos when they were lifted.

"Gave the assholes a crash course because they needed to be standing when we got to the top, not falling on their asses like fucking retards, because I was prepared for him to attack us the moment we fuckin landed. I will admit I was happy the battery lasted so long." Accelerator admits with a bit of grumbling, because he refuses to be asked more questions.

"Misaka thinks you should let Esther and them do the rest from here, after all she only asked for your help, this is her fight now, says Misaka Misaka, trying to tell you to stop fighting without telling you because you might get angry at that." Last Order is pouting at him, but he simply rolls his head, gently yanking a bit of her hair in reprimand since he can't change what he's already done, he would know that best, after all.

"I think this might work. Her resolve is strong and she is now where she needs to be. I wonder if Hishigata might yet have something up his sleeve though." Index muses, watching the man because he certainly looks like the kind to keep something up his sleeve as an ace, even as he is dying. 

"Just as I thought." He looks weaker. "What does that observation refer to, questions Misaka unsure." He looks at her from the corner of his eyes, refusing to turn his head away now that the enemy is in sight. He grunts and then looks to Esther, who is still crouched and observing the scene in front of her. "Thank you for getting me this far, Master." She lifts her blade, the metal making a zing sound as it goes. She is fierce, determined, nothing shall shake her conviction at this point, not anymore. "Let me take care of the rest." She stands and slashes the blade in front of her, getting a feel since she hasn't used it in a while, Hirumi watching from her place far above, vines creating a curtain which contains the bulb in which sprouts the white thing Hirumi is connected to. She really does sound grateful, though there is some concern there as well, clearly she knows something is up but not exactly what.

"Look, even blondie knows you need to rest. Listen to her." Yomikawa urges, because he's going to collapse soon if he doesn't let himself recover, she can just feel it in her bones. This is why he had not wanted to tell her what went down inside, she knows now, she would've taken his stance as well. What a damn softy.

"I think she might manage it, though there's no way on Earth he is not going to try and stall or block her path, so hopefully Houtou is ready to act, she's had her break, with next to no fighting required on her part since Accelerator had it handled." Index muses, because the only defense Esther has in the pseudo soul, Hishigata is too weak to do anything and the Sister is too low a level, while Accelerator has pushed himself far enough at this point.

"To think her resolve is holding, time to see her finally end it. Here's to hoping she will manage to go through with it and won't hesitate." Yoshikawa lifts her drink in the air as a toast, amused when Heaven lifts his from where he is, both of them more than done with the blonde chickening out and backing down.

"I refuse to think she might falter yet again, but this asshole has all kinds of mind games and no issue using them to his whim." Touma mutters, recalling the way the man had taunted Accelerator as well as the blonde, doing so with no hesitation or second thoughts, he even seemed amused by it. He takes a sip of his coffee, before resting it on Index's forehead, amused at the tiny squeak she lets out as the cold metal touches her.

"I want to know if she's really going to manage to get close to him, because that's a lot of distance with only one person who can actually protect her." Mikoto grumbles, eyeing the space between the two of them, well aware how hard it can be to close the distance between yourself and the enemy, especially one so strong.

"Misaka thinks you need to listen to the student for once, Dad. After all, you're worrying even her and she doesn't know your condition even the slightest bit. Besides, Mom and Mother deserve better than to have heart attacks due to you, pouts Misaka Misaka, lecturing you about your health yet again since you don't know how to care for yourself, honestly how are you still alive?" Last Order is giggling as the albino immediately sputters at the jab, the others laughing at that, none of them had expected the sass from the tiny girl, Yoshikawa and Heaven both choking a bit on their drinks before they start laughing as well.

They should've known she would eventually get like that, after all she hangs around Accelerator pretty often, as well as Yomikawa and Yoshikawa, who are both known for their deep, sincere feelings for the kids of the city, wanting to protect them. 

Hirumi says nothing, just grins at her. The blonde grunts and then starts to run, letting out a yell as she goes, jumping across certain parts of the terrain as she goes. She grunts as she jumps up several bumps. She keeps moving, even as some of the monster vines rise in front of her, Houtou racing in from behind her and jumping, easily dodging the beams two of them launch, cutting through the vines with ease with her force. She crouches as she lands, bits of the roots hitting the ground a moment later. "You must hurry, Adonai." Esther races past her, and then throws down a charm, white in color, which spreads and forms a circle, the blonde stepping on it and launching herself with a determined grunt. Two monster vines spot her and launch themselves after her, a third one joining, only for all three to easily be killed by Houtou, who had kicked through them.

"Fucking go!" Touma cheers, ready to see this finally end, because he wants to see Accelerator back in the hospital resting.

"Hell yeah, you go Houtou! You can do it, Esther!" Mikoto yells, fist clenched tight around her snack, her heart beating fast as she gets ready to see the battle finally end.

"I don't like this. It seems way too easy." Index mutters, though he might also be having issues with the DA as well, so perhaps he can not use his full power; something still seems off to her.

"Damn it, something's going to change. There is no way this is all he's doing. What is his plan?" Yomikawa looks everywhere, trying to figure out the man's angle, because those vines were way too easy to beat and barely even stopped her, much less slowed her.

"Is he going for a mind game or something else? Has to be a mind game because those work extremely well on her and he knows that." Yoshikawa murmurs to herself, trying to piece together her thoughts, which are spinning because she knows that as much as they want this fight to end, it's not going to just yet.

"I'm finally going to get to know what that fucker did at this point, because there is no fucking way I was going to just stand back and do absolutely nothing." Accelerator growls, wondering what the hell the asshole had said to his student to break her again, though he had managed to rebuild her pretty quickly since it wasn't a complete break, just a crack. 

She's not even injured, despite the many battles she's been in. Hirumi gasps, looking a bit confused on who the girl is, before her attention is drawn upwards towards the blonde with a smaller, barely there gasp. Esther lets out a yell, putting her blade forward in order to pierce the charm. "Isaac! Say your prayers!" There's still a good amount of space between them, but there's not much she can do. Her head is down, hiding her face and then she jerks towards her, both eyes open and the black, red and gold pupils gone completely. There are tears in the corners of her eyes, ready to spill over. "Please don't do this, Esther. I can't take-" A tear rolls down her cheek. "-dying again." The act would be convincing if her voice did not have an echo to it. Esther still hesitates at that, letting out a gasp before narrowing her eyes.

"No! That low down no good ,manipulative fucking bitch!" Mikoto yells, angry he would use an act like that, because even with no actual feelings for the girl or even knowing her, the girl's heart clenches, she knows she would have trouble as well.

"That damn bastard, he would go for the lowest tactic right at this fuckin moment." Touma growls, his teeth grit as he watches the blonde hesitate, even he would hesitate in the face of a plea like that, and he doesn't even know the damn girl, he can only imagine how bad of a blow that must've been to the blonde herself.

"That fucker! So that's what he said, so I see now... He's getting what he deserves, to the highest degree, I'm certain, but there's no reason to worry, once I die he'll regret everything he's ever done once I find his damn ass." Accelerator murmurs, his grin more teeth than grin.

"Misaka disagrees, because she wants to be with you even in death, so you're not allowed to go to hell, because Misaka won't be going there. Denies Misaka Misaka, refusing to let you be selfish on that, she won't be moving on this." Last Order tightens her grip on him and then moves, squirming around - ignoring his faint protests as well as his grunts when her knees dig into his sides - and resting on his chest, ear right by his heartbeat, the sound soothing her.

"What a horrible person, to be able to do that without even a hint of hesitation, and as a desperate act as well, since he had nothing else to protect himself." Heaven muses, a glint in his eyes letting them know he is angry as well, because that is an angry glint, despite the calmness of his voice.

"Oh, his punishment had better be right or I'll have some complaints for once I die." Index groans, though she's also not certain what the afterlife is like, she's hoping they'll all be able to maintain their memories and personalities, she's not certain how she would handle not knowing herself or anyone else.

She has a charm in hand and she activates it just before she lands on Hirumi, letting herself start to fall. The small helpless begging mouth easily turns into a wicked grin, a self satisfied chuckle escaping, the original voice back. Esther looks scared and then lets out a gasp as she realizes she was tricked. She flips and lands on the ground, her momentum having her skid back a bit. As she reaches the end her feet slip out from under her, her front slamming into the ground with a grunt and a gasp escaping her as the blade is knocked from her hand, though she lets out a relieved sigh when it lands barely inches in front of her, the tip barely digging into the plant. Houtou looks concerned. "Adonai!" She does not yell it, but it's a clear sign of her worry.

"Oh no, she fell for it and on top of that almost lost the dagger that can end this all." Mikoto groans, slumping a bit as she stares at the screen, though she can not blame the girl for falling for that, since she would've as well.

"I can't believe he's enjoying this, the damn fucker. I hope he rots wherever he goes, because it's nothing short of what he deserves." Yoshikawa sighs, aware that the mind game is always pretty useful against someone in battle, trying to shove aside the many times her coworkers - people she had hated but been forced to work with - had used that on the Esper they were working with.

"Damnit, to think that is what the stupid bitch fell for that had her cracking like that." Accelerator closes his eyes with a wince, because he can see why that would work, even if he does not have personal experience with the feeling of having to attack a friend, since he's never had any before Last Order -who's more of a daughter - and Touma who was honestly just more of an ally, before this.

"I really hope you can help her recover from that, because we all know this little bitch won't be able to get her ass off the ground on her own." Yomikawa groans, at this point, they already know her cracked or broken resolve and will has to be lifted by someone else or she won't stand back up, she'll give into despair.

"Hmm.... I can only hope that Accelerator says the right words to her, because Houtou is worried as well at this point, and she really can not give up this damn close, I will cry if she gives up when she's finally there." Touma states, his voice weary as hell as he watches the blonde panic at almost losing the blade.

"I want to know how even people who rarely fight can still recover after something like that, because she took out the DA during the hospital visit, but that's the only time we've seen her actually fight." Heaven stretches, wondering what kind of training and bodily efforts they had to go through in order for people that young to get right back up after hitting the ground so hard. 

Esther rises again, having a bit of trouble, almost exactly back where she started, just a bit closer since she has a better view of Hirumi. The girl laughs, the sound definitely mocking in some ways. There are tons of wires wiggling behind and beyond the edge of the plant. The eye is back to black with red, the right one yet again closed. "I can't believe you seriously fell for that." She clearly got a huge kick out of that. "Ha! Idiot. How tragic that the-" She covers her eyes with her hand, as if already weeping for the future. "-Rosenthall's have fallen so low." She moves yet again, the hand moving from her face to point while the other rises to rest in front of her chest. "How else could a dunce like you be head of the family?" Her hand returns to hug herself, laughing yet again as she gets real entertainment from the struggles of humans who care and feel and live, instead of being lifeless, heartless, soulless beings.

"I want to kill him, since he's already dead I won't even feel all that bad for it, it could be considered helping him move on." Touma says, staring with his old soul at the screen, trying his hardest to not hurt himself as his hands clench up, the can still in one while his snack is in the other.

"Can we please punch his face in? Or would it be better to stab him with the dagger? Would anyone but Esther even be able to use it?" Mikoto inquires, wondering if her Sister or Houtou would be able to get the bald and help her somehow, by stabbing him and getting it in position, but Houtou isn't magic and the Sister is an Esper so would magic work for her?

"I think the best bet is to get the blonde back on her feet, because this is something she has to do for herself, as well as for her friend. She made a promise and she wants to keep it." Yomikawa muses, because she gets that, even as weak as she appears, she would still rise to help a friend, even if they were no longer there, she would still keep the promise with them.

"I hope that promise is enough to get her through this, because she really has some of the weakest will's I've ever seen or been around. I'm not certain she will be able to get back up from that, she was so confident and she knows she made a mistake in choosing not to attack the man, but she couldn't help it, and none of us blame her for that." Heaven murmurs, because honestly watching the man laugh in honest glee at the girl for falling for such a cruel trick makes his heart hurt.

"Misaka thinks this man did not need to be born, so why was he? He appears to have brought nothing but sadness to the world, with how much he kills and torments people, so what was his purpose for being here? Demands Misaka Misaka, angry that he could get such amusement out of the suffering of another." Last Order is angry, a scowl on her tiny face because this is not a good person, but calling him bad would be an insult to bad people, but he's not really a villain either, more a psychopath who desperately needs serious help... and death.

"I have to agree, the only reason I can see for him having to exist would be so Esther could potentially get her confidence to where it needs to be, because there's no way she would have it or have understood the consequences of her actions if she had not met Accelerator and Houtou. Of course, his existence is only partially necessary." Index responds, already well aware that this man must die, because there's no way for him to remain, not after having managed to bypass death once. 

Esther is staring at the girl, she knows she made a mistake, her teeth grit and a grunt escaping her, but unlike before her resolve does not waiver. "That's absolutely right." He sounds normal again, voice rough and angry. Esther looks to her right, where he is standing, just a few feet behind her. He's looking at her like she's kind of stupid, but mostly like she's forgetting something. His battery is still on. "Exactly how big-" He starts moving closer to her, clearly wanting to make sure she gets the message. "-of an idiot are you?" He doesn't sound mean or condescending, merely annoyed and perhaps a bit fond as well. He grabs her by the collar, shifting his grip a bit as he pulls her to face him, tired of this.

"Oh? What are you going to say in order to get her to stop being stupid?" Mikoto tilts her head, honestly curious, because he's really not off to the best start right now.

"How nice of you to help her up, though you certainly could've done it in a nicer way." Touma chides the albino, who rolls his eyes in response.

"Hmm... How interesting that the man is choosing not to attack now, maybe he wants to see if you can actually get her back on her feet?" Index murmurs, but she doesn't try too hard to guess, not wanting to venture anywhere near where his thoughts might've been.

"Misaka thinks you need to work on that a bit, says Misaka Misaka,  because it sounds like you are planning on insulting her more, though the tone is very good." Last Order looks pleased at that, giving him a smile that he can not ignore. 

"I was fuckin trying my damn best, ok?!? I don't know shit about comforting people!" Accelerator protests, trying his hardest to not pout because he is not a child. 

He's right there, only a few inches between their faces, his right hand clutching her collar so she has to remain standing, with the blonde staring up at him in surprise and perhaps the slightest bit disenchanted. "I thought you were gonna be the hero." He puts emphasis on the last word, clearly trying to jog her memory. "That's why we came all this way, isn't it?" He is getting steadily more annoyed with her as she stares at him, because he knows she can be better than this. He still does not look angry or annoyed or frustrated, simply a tad bit disappointed, but mostly he looks like he believes in her still, like he knows she has this. The cut on his cheek drips no blood, but it remains as proof he could not reflect an attack and is not some infallible person. "Don't start back pedaling now!" He must've yanked her closer, with the way his head moved.

"Damn, you really tore into her, but I think that's exactly what she needed. Hell yeah, you keep going. Your little speeches are motivational as fuck, especially since it's extremely clear you're doing it for her and you still believe she can do it." Mikoto gives him a teasing grin, enjoying the blush that forms as he sputters, unable to get a proper response out.

"I really like the way you chose to do that. Most people would've left her to despair and done it themselves, but you chose to talk to her and force her to stand back up again. I love you, ya know? You still believe in her, even though you can not believe in yourself, the ability to believe in others means you will get there one day." Touma muses with a grin, taking a sip of his coffee, because he knows most people would've been done, given up on the blonde, but the albino - similar to him, a protector at his core, he's almost certain of it now - had chosen instead to force her back to her feet so she could do this herself, the way she needs to.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure anyone else would've been able to get through to her, but did you really have to manhandle her? You're barely standing on your own as is and your battery is low, you could've hurt both of you if it had given out." Yoshikawa tells him, amused at the fact the albino is giving her an extremely unimpressed look, clearly stating how stupid he thinks she might be.

"I have a pretty good damn idea of when the battery will die, as long as I have a chance to know when it was turned on or off, so I know how much it's been used or not, as well as for how long. If I can't do that, then I would never use the damned power I have and it is something I need in order to protect Last Order as well as the other idiots around me." Accelerator grumbles, letting out a small yelp as his hair is tagged in response, clearly a silent reprimand.

"Ok, the start was not all that great, but it was the tone that set you apart from the asshole. I wasn't expecting for you to actually try and help her, let alone get her literally back on her feet. How interesting you are, always surprising me when I don't expect them." Yoshikawa gives him a wide grin, amused at the way his blush spreads further, clearly he had not been expecting someone to call him on the rough start.

"I do agree, the start was rough, but I have a feeling he was feeling his way through that entire thing anyways, so it can be forgiven, especially since it didn't sound like he was trying to be demeaning or mocking in any way." Index grins as the albino sticks his tongue out at her, clearly done being teased at the moment, though his skin is still red. 

She gasps a bit, looking like she's realized something or found it yet again. He pushes her away, but not hard enough to make her fall, just to stop holding her up and holding her shirt. "Like I told you, if there's something you want to save, don't hesitate-" He looks normal, like a friend offering another advice and help when they need it, the darkness that usually is around him in one way or another not there at the moment. "-to reach out and protect it with all-" Her grip is loose on the hilt of the knife, the blade still glowing, waiting patiently for her. "-you've got!" Her grip tightens, the knife shifting the slightest bit. The determination and confidence is back, her gaze back on what she wanted to protect again. "Alright Master, here I go." She turns and walks away with a small grunt, her every step more confident and resolved than the last. He watches her, before clicking his tongue harshly, glancing away and then turning his head away from her. "I already told you, I'm not-" The battery is still blinking, though it's not very fast or anything, but it's clear he has little power time left. "-your Master." He sounds angry then, but never once during his speech was he, obviously he doesn't like that she wants to put him on a pedestal instead of just be friends with him.

"Aww, were you upset because she was giving up, getting sucked right back into the dark and you didn't want that? And that she was putting you on a pedestal, instead of like you were equals, hmm? I'm glad you helped her get her resolve back, you little shit." Yomikawa ruffles the hair under her hand, laughing as he immediately reaches up to stop, protests falling from his lips, only to grunt when Last Order pins one arm to his side, Yoshikawa casually grabbing the other. With a grin, Yomikawa starts again, amused one hand on his forehead to keep him still, before she starts laughing as she sees the deadpan expression he is giving her, though with his bangs all over the place, it's hard to even see his eyes.

"You were so nice to her. The push was more for her than you, to get her set back on the right track, not to be mean. I love your approach, because it is so different from other people who would try, most would not be willing to be so rough, they would be gentle and nice and that is so not what she needs right now. She needs a shove, a push, a shout to get her in the right direction because she is not going to hear the soft gentle words. Meeting you was probably the best thing to happen to her, with Houtou being a close second." Touma smiles gently at the albino who is fixing his hair, amused when he freezes at the kind words, hands hovering over his bangs, before he leaves it be, trying to hide his face as he blushes red. He's also trying to hide the conflict in his eyes, because how are you supposed to respond to nice words? Kindness is so weird and the warm feeling in his chest, it's confusing him.

"I wasn't expecting that to work so well, but I'm really glad it did, especially since the knife she has as well as she herself are the only ones who can actually defeat this man." Index muses, giving a sharp grin as she watches the teen give someone younger than him solid, strong advice, helping them get back up so they are not stuck in the same way he is.

"Misaka is so happy, you are showing you are a good person to a lot of people, exclaims Misaka Misaka, knowing you have a hard time showing yourself, though she is not very happy that Esther has put you on a pedestal either." Last Order pouts angrily, because her Dad just wants to have friends, to be close with people and having to work against the pedestal they put him on is not a great way to start.

"I am so glad you got through to her, and in such a great way too. There were no fumbles or falters, you knew exactly what you wanted to get across and you got it across, you sealed up the crack on her will with nothing more than words, and not a single part of you, you made her rebuild it herself with nothing more than something you're also trying to life by. I think you're getting close." Mikoto tells Accelerator, who is struggling with all the compliments, his face red, and though his eyes are covered, they can all tell he's uncertain of how to handle or respond to the kindness they're offering.

"Don't worry, Accelerator, you have quite possibly saved everything with those words, something I was really rooting for. Touma is right, nothing else but those harsh realities and that scolding would've gotten through to her, she would have been coddled by anyone else, but not you. You force people to help themselves by giving them your trust and your belief, and refusing to do anything but help when asked and giving them the words they need to hear." Heaven almost wants to laugh, to think a villain would use any sort of tactic like that, it's almost too funny. He wonders if Accelerator would make a good therapist. 

Hirumi is pointing a finger down at her. "If you're done with your little pep talk, then it's about time-" She grunts, pupil getting smaller, clearly struggling. "-To annihilate Justice-" Her eye rolls up into her head, her voice having gone from showy and happy to monotone. "-Justice, justice." She's twitching like a machine that's glitching, stuck in the same position, before her hands rise into the air directly above her head, a grunt escaping as a huge ball of color starts to build. It steadily gets bigger, kicking up a wind all over the area, until it's almost as large as the swollen part of the plant, debris and other things flying through the air. Accelerator lets out a confused, soft "Huh?" as he stares at the ball, the light bright compared to what they've been using for the last several hours.

"Why now?!?" Mikoto groans, exasperated, because this interference might completely throw them all off their game, which is extremely understandable since this is not something they were expecting.

Goddamnit..." Touma says wearily, because if even Accelerator is letting out a noise of confusion at this point, then it means they might be in some real trouble, with nothing prepared for this since they are unaware that DA have been assimilated, much less fighting the man for control of the body, which really puts them at a disadvantage.

"This makes so much more damn sense now." Accelerator grumbles, because he's allowed to, no longer risking spoilers, because this had been confusing as fuck when they'd been fighting the assfuck.

"Jesus, that timing couldn't have been worse. The hell is that ball going to do if it's released?" Yoshikawa demands, because that does not appear to be all that stable or great, looks almost like too much energy is being built up, in fact.

"Oh, so that's what was happening." Yoshikawa deadpans, because she remembers seeing this but not knowing if they were going to be able to do a damn thing about it.

"DA really knows how to screw with things, don't they?" Heaven asks a bit rhetorically, wondering why they chose to act then and not earlier, if his control had really been that great or if they were waiting for a chance. 

The ball is still growing, bigger than the widest part of the plant, almost covering the entire space between two buildings on either side of the plant. It continues to grow, getting bigger, and then Hirumi's arms are shown, cracks appearing along them as she screams, the sound horrible and grating. More cracks start to appear as her hands fall to her sides, the ball disappearing as well as the wind. She lifts her arms to stare at them desperately, as well as looking at the cracks on her body. "What's this? What's happening to me?" She gasps, face falling a bit. She turns her head to the right, something had caught her attention. Several feet away, there is a large machine Hishigata and the Sister both standing by it. The Sister has a tight hold of one of the cords coming from it, electricity sparking from it, a beeping coming from the machine itself.

"Wait, is that...?" Touma trails off, trying not to laugh because he'd forgotten.

"There's no way, right? My Sister helped out!" Mikoto cheers, though she is confused as well.

"Is that what I think it is?" Yomikawa murmurs, staring at it because it looks familiar.

"I think it is." Yoshikawa replies, staring at the machine with a fairly good idea exactly what it is, since all of the charms used by Hishigata had been inside of coffins, since the man is not a necromancer and can not just put them in a body like Esther.

"I fuckin loved this part so damn much. Watching this asshole during this was truly funny." Accelerator gets out between laughter, Last Order giggling as well since his movement is moving her, though mostly because she loves listening to him laugh.

"I can't believe we forgot something so simple, in the chaos of everything though, it makes sense that the one to remember would be the one who designed and created it." Index muses, watching the Sister and Hishigata completely mess with the souls plot, more than eager to see him finally get his due.

"I would give them an award, but no one else would really understand it, would they?" Heaven chuckles, because there is no greater amusement to him, then when the villain hits a bump in their plan from something simple they had never thought would be able to get in their way. 

Hirumi looks furious. "The Sister!" She practically growls the words out. "What the hell did you do?" She sounds annoyed and angry. Hishigata starts laughing from where he's slumped against the machine, the Sister turning to look over her shoulder at him from where she stands, the vine curtain a good 20 feet away. "Well you may have obtained-" He sits up a bit straighter, talking a lot steadier and clearer than he had before. "-powers comparable to a god, there's just one problem. It doesn't change the fact that you're still in Hirumi's body." He lifts an arm to point at her as if to highlight the next words he says. "And in case you needed a refresher course on how this tech works-" Hishigata is standing, slumped back against the front of the machine, the Sister crouched a few feet to his side, the machine resembling the Tarantula from earlier. "-she has to remain connected to the coffin-" The part under the main section of the Tarantula's body is down, the place where Hirumi's body would've been had she actually gone inside it. "-that contains her physical form." He slumps forward a bit, coughing a bit of blood up, but he looks so happy to have gotten one over her.

"I can happily say, right at this very moment, that Hishigata might be my favorite person, even if only for a little bit longer, he won't last if he's still coughing up blood." Heaven says with a smile, because he is really enjoying the fact that the man had got one up and over the man without hesitation, had acted on it as soon as he could.

"I find the fact that the man forgot about it at all to be absolutely amazing." Index manages to get out before bursting into giggles, because there's only so much she can not laugh at and watching the man get almost completely halted due to his stupidity is great.

"I think if the man had chosen to keep Hirumi's memories, instead of just deleting them like an ass, he might've remembered that, but he did not so the fucker screwed himself up real bad." Yomikawa says with an almost straight face, but her lips keep twitching at the corner, because of course this is the sort of thing she would find amusement in, she arrests criminals for a living.

"I wonder though, would her memories really have helped him or would he have just shoved them aside, because he really did not seem to give a shit about them. The Sisters memories he was all for, especially digging through them like a fuckin nasty ass creep, but her's? He couldn't give less of a damn." Yoshikawa muses, trying to recall if Esther had said anything about Hirumi, but obviously if the researcher was for Hirumi she likely knew pretty much everything about it, so her memories would have been a huge help to him, if only he had planned that far ahead.

"I will admit, I actually liked Hishigata for the next few moments because of what he did." Accelerator says, barely managing it since Last Order is giggling, her movements making it a bit hard to breathe, as well as her weight, not that he was going to tell her that or make her move, he was actually pretty comfortable when she wasn't moving around. 

"So in short-" His eyebrows twitch a bit, most likely from pain. The Sister has stood up, cord in her hand, glaring fiercely at the girl who has caused her nothing but grief. "Using the Misaka Network we gained access to the coffin and shut down its functions. Says Misaka explaining the situation." "It's impossible to kill you merely by cutting off the power-" He tilts his head down, tired of holding it upwards in order to see her face. "-but honestly I'm content inconveniencing your plans." He looks happy at that, clearly enjoying this. Hirumi lets out a grunt, staring at the two of them. "Who do you think you are?" The Sister drops the cord like a microphone. "This is what you deserve for toying with the memories of 10,031 Sisters deaths." Clearly this Sister had taken offense on the dead one's behalf, similar to Accelerator. Hishigata is slumped over, clearly having used up the energy he had. "Declares Misaka wearing a smug expression." The Sister is indeed a bit smug looking, though she mostly looks angry, pointing her finger like it's a gun.

"Hell fuckin yeah! Those two make a scary team honestly, but I love it!" Mikoto cheers, because that is how they do it.

Touma looks amused, a grin on his face and a soft look on his face. "He really was so happy to just inconvenience the man and the Sister was more than willing to help if it meant getting in a hit for messing with the memories of her 10,031 dead Sisters. How cute." He starts chuckling afterwards.

Index can't even say anything, she's too busy dying of oxygen deprivation from laughing so hard, her arms wrapped around her stomach, because the Sister and Hishigata had completely messed with the assholes plans and there's no reason to not find that funny, especially since he looks so damn angry about it.

"Can I just say that he might now be my favorite researcher ever?" Yoshikawa manages between her laughter, because there were not many people she liked, but this man would have been her partner in crime if they had ever worked together.

"I can see now why you were answering how you were. Hishigata and the Sister pulled of a beautiful tag team to completely screw the fucker in his plans, what amazing teamwork!" Yomikawa muses, before bursting into chuckles, gently running fingers through white hair, playing with the bangs and fixing it as she goes.

"I absolutely enjoyed listening to this fucker at that moment, might be the first time his damn voice didn't annoy the shit out of me, because his words were far more amusing and let me ignore his voice completely. Fuckin great." Accelerator has a sharp grin on his face, because this really had been one of his favorite moments to watch from the sidelines. 

Hirumi turns fully, looking angry, reaching forward as if she is trying to strangle them. "For that I'll kill you!" She sounds angry and a lot more insane than before. Esther lets out a yell, rushing forward, knife held up. She jumps over the vine curtain and races up the form of the bulb, jumping off the petal of the opening of the bulb. Cords fly through the air, wrapping around her arms and waist, stopping the blonde's forward momentum. She grunts still trying, Hirumi not even facing her. Her teeth are grit and her eye can not be seen anymore. The cords pull Esther back a bit. "And you were so-" The girl looks smug and amused. "-close. Looks like you lose hero." She's clearly mocking Accelerator, the sound of Esther struggling against the cords easily heard. "After coming this far, I can't afford to be beaten. I'm so close." She sounds like she's straining as hard as she can. She looks desperate, like an animal that knows its in a corner but refuses to back down.

"To do something like that and then taunt her like she is nothing more than dirt on his heel, that's not going to end well for him, I can almost guarantee it. There are two other girls there who definitely heard him, and they won't take kindly to that." Mikoto bluntly points out, because there is no way her Sister or Houtou - even as a pseudo soul - are going to take that lying down.

"Did he just mock and essentially insult Accelerator?" Yomikawa asks, her eyes flashing with the desire to hurt this man, perhaps even kill him since it's not really considered death, not when the man is already dead and is possessing the corpse of another person.

"I find myself wanting to help kick someone's ass for the first time, and it won't be a simple cruelty like before, it will be much worse." Yoshikawa muses, something resembling a snarl on her face, though it's clearly meant to be a smile, which just makes it a bit scarier, though the scariest thing has to be the dark aura coming off both women, their intent clear to all.

"I think he kind of really needs to just give the fuck up. Attacking like that was a good decision, but those damn cords got in the fucking way, because of course he's still using mind games and human nature to his advantage like a goddamn asshole." Touma groans, wondering when they can finally put a lid on this fucker and no longer have to deal with him, because nothing can be worse than him, not even DA.

"I want to know how much strength those thin cords have, even augmented by the magic or whatever running through them, to stop her like that with no real effort at all. Especially since I'm pretty sure the only ability like thing he has is control over them, not increasing their strength." Index says, peering closely to see if there's anything that sticks out, but there really is nothing, just the cords that are easily holding her back.

"I think that its possible that with the energy increase and new power he has, he maybe got the ability to increase their strength, or perhaps the more accurate way to say it would be they got an increase in strength the same way he did." Heaven murmurs, watching this all with calm eyes that are alight from within, really tired of this man's actions.

"Misaka thinks that was an insult to Accelerator and would love if the Sister could help in taking this man down even more, venomously mutters Misaka Misaka, annoyed at how many people jab and dig at you despite knowing you all that well." Last Order does indeed look less than happy, a light in her eyes that speaks of a lot of things they don't want to even think about, considering how young she is. 

Two more hands join hers on the hilt of the knife, one with a glove the other without. Houtou is on the blonde's left, while the Sister is to her right, both lending her their strength. "You do not have to fight alone, Adonai." The girl sounds fond, clearly she has learned from her short existence. "Misaka will assist too, says Misaka, feeling as though she's discovered her purpose for being here." The blade gets closer to their target. Hirumi reaches out, easily grabbing it and halting all progress. "Stop! I'm warning you three. Don't do this!" Her face is twisted up almost into a snarl, clearly desperate herself. "There's still so much left I need to accomplish. You can't kill me now." They don't care, all of them letting out grunts as they push more strength into the knife. A monster vine roars, coming up behind the three of them, and then opening its mouth, starting to prepare a beam in order to kill all of them.

"Oh my god... They're so damn close! Come on, you can do it! Don't worry about the beam, there's no way Accelerator will let anything happen to you! Keep pushing!" Mikoto cheers, ready to see this asshole go down for real.

"They are finally going to do it. Her resolve is not faltering and she has people helping her out. She's found her way, I believe. That damn asshole is using dirty tricks though, that beam is not going to hit its target." Touma murmurs, looking a tad amused that the man is so desperate he's trying an attack from behind.

"For fuck's sake, he can't just let them have this, can he? Come on, just push through!" Yoshikawa sighs, because the villain never gives in without a desperate attempt at the end, not unless they're being forced to work for someone else and hate it, like Accelerator, though he'd never really been a villain in her eyes, he's just someone the world hurts too often.

"Fucking go!" Yomikawa yells, because she's tired of this asshole, who had hurt her child, is still aiming to hurt children just because they really don't want to let him finish his 400 year old goal that will destroy the city they love and live in.

"Don't let that man beat you! Go all the way through! Finish it!" Index cheers, so glad the Sister and Houtou are there to help the blonde finally finish everything, because the man needs to leave already and the only way the girl will show her resolve is by finally finishing everything.

"Here's hoping the entire thing will finally end because there's no way Accelerator is not going to last much longer, not with that battery and everything else going on." Heaven muses, watching the man attempt a back attack, already knowing there's no way his patient is going to let the attack go through, not with everything going on and the Sister, as well as the other girl he's fond of, not because he hates Houtou but because he knows she was never really alive to begin with. 

The beam gets bigger, and then Accelerator lands, the beam dispersing, the vines mouth forced to remain open completely as he stands on what should be the back of its throat. His power rings through it, bits of blood and flesh spurting up. He looks pissed at this sort of tactic being used, back attacks only for those who are stupid. The girls all glance back, Hirumi letting out a gasp as her last resort is destroyed. Accelerator looks smug, as well as far from pleased, darkness having crept into him a bit. "Attacking from the back, not bad. But looks like you're the one who lost." His battery is still blinking. He's crouched on the vine, the girls still struggling against the cords. A bit of lightning arcs through the vine, cracking bits of it. "Huh, whenever you're ready, hero." He's watching her from one eye, his head turned away so the other can not be seen, though he looks a bit proud.

"Aww, what a proud Master." Yomikawa coos, more than entertained in the fact that he had protected them like everyone knew he would, though it was a bit more last minute then she was expecting, likely because he was exhausted.

"I knew you would get there. Look at you encouraging her and taunting the man when he deserves it for mocking you. I think you really need to rest though, you moved a bit slow, likely due to exhaustion or low battery." Touma frets a bit, his hand clenching and unclenching around his can, though not hard enough to crush it, like he probably could.

"Misaka is thankful you protected them, but who is protecting you? Demands Misaka Misaka, reprimanding your choice to never let anyone help you or protect you, like you need to be." Last Order pokes him on the nose, amused at the way he doesn't even bother to follow her finger, just sticks his tongue out and then moves, the tiny girl realizing too late and letting out a squeak as she yanks her wet finger away, pouting before wiping it on the laughing albino's shirt.

"You do need rest, especially after all the strain and pushing you've done." Heaven flails his hands a bit, so damn done with his patients moving around when they really should not be, but there's no way he can necessarily do to stop them either.

"You really are such a nice person, you know? I always knew, but I'm glad you're letting other people know even without trying." Yoshikawa gently pats his knee - the good one - before massaging his bad leg again, one arm around his ankle to keep it still when he twitches in pain or soreness because she hits a bad place.

"Oh man, you really do just roast people alive once they annoy you enough, don't you? He doesn't deserve any damn water though, so I'm perfectly fine with that." Mikoto says with an entertained gleam, watching the man, waiting with anticipation for the knife to finally dig into the man's skin. 

Esther jolts, before giving him a nod, smile falling from her face for a frown and she turns with a yell, the blade finally sinking forward, right into her chest, the charm glowing a bright red. They get the blade in right to the hilt, then a shockwave goes off, knocking all three back, each of them hitting the ground roughly, a grunt escaping. Esther sits up, a red light glowing menacingly, Hirumi screaming. More cracks start to appear on her body, small pieces breaking away her scream not ending. She slumps forward with a gasp. "Who are you? All you've done is interfere with me. Just who the hell are you?!" The form of Isaac overlaps with the yelling girl. Accelerator moves forward. "I'm a villain-" A bright light starts, the albino peering at the girl with angry but content eyes, watching it all. "-a son of a bitch villain like you, only difference is I'm stronger." He sounds like he is simply stating facts.

"Hey now, you might be a bit broken and trying hard to fix that, but that does not make you a villain, much less a son of a bitch. You are not that bad. Of a person, just extremely troubled and in desperate need of love, kindness and a lot of therapy," Yomikawa pauses, tilting her head to consider that before adding, "All the therapy. All of it."

"Hey! That seems a bit fuckin-!" She leans over to look the albino in the eyes and says, with an emphasis on all words, "All. The. Therapy." Accelerator looks a bit confused, maybe even sad, but he gives a groan, already knowing very well she is indeed right.

"I am extremely glad that the asshole is now gone, but I have to agree, you are perhaps a villain, maybe, but you are not a son of a bitch, you are just a person who might need some help." Mikoto sighs, watching Accelerator, observing how relaxed and calm he appears, how almost happy he might be considered, but he does not know the body language for that, so he just looks content and a bit uncomfortable, likely from watching himself.

"I really don't like how he's screaming, or the way Hirumi's body is breaking apart, but you are trying to be a better person, in your own way, so that makes you much better than most of the people who pretend or don't even bother with redemption or atonement, so don't go insulting yourself." Touma frowns at the teen, wishing he would see what they do, but he's seeing something else from a different view, even from Yoshikawa who was also involved with the dark side and they can't relate at all.

"I already told you, I never thought you were a bad person. You're a bit grouchy and your attitude can be pretty bad at times, but you are protecting yourself and the heart of gold that no one ever protected, just used and used and used, so all I have to say is you need to stop thinking like that." Heaven admits, because he had already given his claim. The albino teen had made a pretty clear picture while recovering and right after getting injured, there's no way someone who would use their power - while bleeding from the brain - to keep another person alive can be considered bad, not in his book.

"Good, that man will finally get what he deserves. Accelerator, you are not a villain, you are just extremely misguided and no one bothered to show you another way, so you never had any other choice." Seeing Mikoto opening her mouth to argue, Index continues," Doing the opposite of what he knows might've worked, but that doesn't tell him what is right or wrong, and he might've ended worse."

They all grimace at the thought, because he's already pretty torn up and destroyed. Worse is not something they want to see.

Isaac's form stares, before he screams, the entire thing white except for his outline, before it gets swept away like dust in the wind. The girl is left slumped over, the knife still in her chest, the charm clear for everyone to see. She starts glowing a faint yellow, and her hair stops moving for the first time in hours. She lifts her head, both eyes open, appearing gray but they're likely blue. She looks confused. "Is that you?" Esther is on her knees only a few feet from the girl. She crawls closer, the Sister and Houtou remaining back. She has a small grin, though it's sad. "Hirumi..." The girl looks so different, a smile rising on her face, even with all the cracks across her body, the knife sticking out of her chest and the loss of color. Hirumi raises her right hand, lifting only the pinkie finger, before bringing it in front of her face, cradling it with her other hand. There are tears in Esther's eyes. "At least tell me, was I useful to you?" She sounds like she's breaking. Hirumi's eyes have fallen closed and she lets out a small laugh at the question, her gentle nature so at odds with the cracks across her cheek. That's all the answer Esther needs, a smile on her face even as the tears fall.

"Wait no, we have to watch this? I thought she was already gone, I didn't realize we were going to have to watch Esther lose Hirumi again!" Touma cries, tears starting to form in his eyes, because this is so not something he was expecting to see.

"No, please. She seems so nice, why does Esther have to lose her again? Why does she need to suffer like this?" Mikoto's already crying, because that is the blonde's best friend, literally shattering in front of her due to her own actions.

"Goddamn... This is why I stayed back. I knew she was already having issues, there was no damn way I was going to take that away from her." Accelerator grumbles, his eyes misting just a bit, because he has never lost his best friend, but he's come pretty close to losing his daughter twice and the experience was horrible.

"Good god..." Yomikawa releases a heavy breath, tears already escaping her eyes from the trauma and suffering these poor kids had to go through just to stop the man from destroying everything by becoming a god. Esther should never have had to do something like this, much less should Accelerator have had to suffer silently through his trauma due to trusting no one.

"No, don't do this to us..." Yoshikawa mutters, trying not to break herself, because that is a girl not much older than 13 dying because of an experiment or something else going wrong, likely her brother's considering his determination to make her happy and ensure she got to level 6.

"..." Heaven says nothing, just runs a hand across his face as the tears fall, because he had not expected to watch this young girl die, had been bracing himself for Hishigata but not Hirumi, so watching her die... It hurts, especially seeing Esther's reaction.

"God knowing what you were going to do and seeing the effect after you do it, they're two different things and I really hate it!" Index cries, tears gathering, because that girl is losing her best friend, the only person who really knew her, in the worst way possible, especially since there was no way to avoid it.

"Misaka did not know about this... whimpers Misaka Misaka, already crying because this is just too cruel." Last Order is indeed burying her face in Accelerator's chest, soaking his clothes as she does, her sobs and hiccups hurting them all. 

Hishigata is sitting on the ground, clutching at his wound, looking happy. "I got you back. Long enough to say farewell. Hirumi." The girl hears him somehow. She starts to tip back, eyes opening to look in his direction. "See you soon, big brother." She has a smile on her face, looking at peace with everything. A bright glow comes from where the knife connects to her, her eyes falling closed. "Hirumi!" Esther reaches for her, despite already knowing this is what was going to happen, tears in her eyes. The knife shatters, a hole opening in Hirumi's chest, her body crumpling into bits of golden yellow dust. Esther reaches out, trying to grab at her, her hand the only thing to be seen. She looks devastated as the last of the body breaks apart and away, because it hurts all over again.

"Noo..." Mikoto groans, barely able to see the screen through her tears, crumpling over herself as she starts to sob. Index and Touma are both crying as well, so they shift and make a three way hug, Heaven wrapping them in his arms as well, giving them the comfort of an adult as sometimes teens need even if they won't ask for it. They feel drops hitting their heads but say nothing, after all, watching that had hurt, hit them in a place they had not expected.

Last Order is full on sobbing now, Accelerator has his arms wrapped around her, a few tears escaping as he blinks, Yomikawa and Yoshikawa gently sitting the albino up so they can squish their two kids between each other, the entire group taking a moment to mourn the young, kind girl who they had not expected, not after everything they had seen. Esther did not deserve that, losing her best friend not once but twice, maybe three times if you really want to go there, and all of them permanent to some degree, especially this last one.

The group take a few minutes to get it all out, before composing themselves, staying in their new positions. Accelerator is sitting between Yomikawa and Yoshikawa Last Order in his lap, with Touma and Mikoto to Yoshikawa's side, Index sitting on Touma's lap, while Heaven is resting next to the teenager, all of them taking comfort in being close to each other. 

The golden dust starts to fall all around them, Hishigata staring at it in wonder, a light in his eyes and a small grin on his face. "It figures. I never did get the chance to be a real hero. Shame." He looks steady and strong from behind, but then he goes limp, slumping over to his right, watching the dust with fond eyes. He lets out a content sound, before letting his eyes close, finally succumbing to the wound he had. He's on his side, right arm under his body, left one laying across his stomach, the left leg stretched out a bit more than the right, the bloodstain where he was stabbed clear, the dust falling all around him. He appears content. Houtou is supporting Esther, the Sister trailing behind, each of them looking sad. Accelerator approaches as Esther falls to her knees in despair, Houtou going with her, his left hand tucked into his pocket.

"Ahhh, that's not ok." Mikoto says weakly, her voice still weak from her sobs, a glass of water in her hand.

"No, you don't get to kill both siblings off, and make them look both so content when doing so. That's not ok!" Yoshikawa exclaims, entirely done at this point, but something in her says the worst has not happened yet, not when she had been in the hospital.

"Dear lord... He looks happy at least, but there's something wrong in knowing that Accelerator could've easily been Hishigata if he had been in the dark side for longer and if he had been pushed over the edge, left to his own devices." Yomikawa mutters, moving her arms to wrap around the albino and pet his hair, stilling in order to feel his heartbeat through his wrist, before getting comfortable. Yoshikawa grins, her own hand having been resting on his neck since they shifted.

"I know Hishigata dying was something we were expecting, but I wasn't really expecting him to do some good and show he really was a good person, he was just so deep into his grief for his sister he refused to believe anything else, because a world without her could not exist in his eyes, because he could not handle being alone." Index muses, because she can understand him better now and while he went about things wrong, he was not a horrible or bad person until his sister died and nothing else was left to him.

"Poor Esther... How are you ok after all of that?" Touma asks Accelerator, because he knows the albino is not cruel, but he's not affected by the death all around him.

"At the damn time, I barely knew Hirumi and Hishigata was always going to die by the end, so I had no problems with it. I know now more than I did at that damn moment, so it's hitting me harder. I had not felt anything like her so I could not feel any real sympathy with her." Accelerator grumbles, tightening his grip on Last Order, a silent clue to the older boy who can indeed recall the times the albino is talking about. 

"Is it over?" The dust stops falling and he lets himself sound tired, but then he gasps as the plant starts to rumble and shake. He glares at the ground. "Now what?" Esther is looking over her shoulder, the Sister falls as the rumbling knocks her off balance and Houtou keeps her attention on the blonde. The bottom of the plant is rolling like waves, light starting to build up in the main section, the color seeping out into the city again.

"No, nothing else is allowed to happen, damnit! Esther needs time to grief, the Sister needs to get to safety, you need to fuckin rest and Houtou deserves to be released." Yomikawa cries, watching with horror, because damn it something more had happened, she remembers this now, it had looked different from further away but she has a pretty good idea of what happens.

"None of you can take on something else right now..." Touma says with horror, wondering what happens, because there is no one with the strength among them to take a stronger person head on, not with Accelerator running on nothing more than a few minutes at most, and Esther emotionally vulnerable.

"Misaka does not like the looks of this, declares Misaka Misaka, having a bad feeling about the colors returning because it can not mean anything good." Last Order stares, her tiny hands gripping tightly to Accelerator's arm that is wrapped around her, refusing to let him go, because she has an almost too clear picture of what happens.

"Nobody else is allowed to get hurt, so you all need to get out of there, now! None of you can afford to take on another person or thing, not at this point!"" Yoshikawa cries, clenching her hand and then hitting her thigh, angry and desperate and so, so scared for what might happen to any of them.

"Hmm... This must be when it happened, though what it is, that is what's unclear." Heaven says under his breath, though he is watching with worry as well, because very few things can actually hurt the albino, so whatever happens next must be the reason the kid had come in so beat up and why his recovery had to be made longer. 

Houtou is the first to stand, the Sister and then Esther following, the plant still looking pretty terrible even with color. The ground they stand on is purple, the vine curtain is a pink color and the white area where Hirumi rested is actually blue, connected to the plant by a darker pink section. The area around the blue place starts to glow a bright white, reflecting off the ground and their faces. Esther looks confused, while the Sister looks extremely worried. "This isn't good." The swollen area of the plant is a multitude of colors, the light gathering directly on the very top. "A vast uninterpretable power is built up-" There are dark clouds in the sky, blocking out all light. "-inside Isaac's body. It's causing distortions not only in space but also in the Misaka Network, explains Misaka." Accelerator is kneeling, and he looks the slightest bit afraid, because he relies on the Misaka Network for quite a lot.

"Wait, how strong is this energy?" Touma asks in panic, because something that strong to be able to distort the Misaka network, it can not be a good thing, but as long as it does not bother Accelerator, they might yet make it.

"There is no way you can actually do anything about that energy, but you can't get away either, not with it building up so fast. What are you going to fuckin do?" Mikoto frets, because that thing will kill a lot of people, do a lot of fuckin damage, destroy all sorts of things.

"No, please, not this...'' Yomikawa can feel more tears gathering in her eyes, because there's only one person who has a chance of doing anything and her child would absolutely risk himself if it meant protecting the Sisters. Not him, don't let him do anything rash or stupid.

"There has to be something that can be done, but there's not much time and no precautions are set up in order to protect the citizens." Yoshikawa growls, because a lot of people had been pushing for inner city defenses to keep citizens from being hurt or damage getting way too extensive when Esper's fought.

" If it's not actively affecting you, the distortions must not be too bad, but if you are already so tired, so strained that you can not stand up while the ground is shaking, then there is no way you are going to be able to help with this, stand back, Accelerator." Heaven mutters, trying his hardest to change things that have already happened, because he knows what the outcome likely is.

"How much damage can something like that do?" Index inquires, a horrible feeling in her gut, because even after dying, that damn man is finding ways to inconvenience and get revenge against those who managed to defeat him. 

"So what if it is?" His voice is rougher than usual, since he is scared and turning it to anger since he can manage that emotion. The plant is so big, the light not getting larger but certainly bright and clearly powerful. "If this energy is released upon Isaac's death, it will cause an explosive disintegration leveling everything within a half kilometer radius. Additionally, the shockwave will devastate Academy City, Misaka explains further." The Sister sounds almost calm, though that might be because she's so shocked and focused on explaining she can not quite grasp at the fear she feels. Esther and Houtou are both looking at the Sister, clearly they know as well as her exactly what will happen. The blonde looks horrified that this could happen, while Houtou is blank, as always. "Oh no..." Esther whispers softly.

"He's still causing problems, even after death, the damn asshole." Touma curses, because there is no way to stop that, not one where Accelerator won't have to use his already low battery to try and hold the entire thing off, in a way most people can't even when they're not exhausted, hungry, thirsty, cold, suffering mentally from trauma being brought up several times and disabled, but this guy is going to somehow manage it, the noir knows it.

"Misaka is telling you now that if you do something reckless she reserves the right to use your card to buy something Gekota as a reward, threatens Misaka Misaka, knowing you are in no shape at all to be doing anything." Last Order pokes him in the cheek, getting her point across since he grimaces at the words.

"You aren't buying that frog shit on my card, with my damn money, you brat! Ask Yomikawa or Yoshikawa to get that shit, they can borrow from my account, they have the permission required for it." Accelerator grumbles, before letting out a squeak of surprise and embarrassment as the two older women - mostly to tease him - give him a kiss on the cheek as thanks. His face turns a bright red and he hides in Last Order's hair.

They're all laughing at him, that squeak was not a sound they had ever expected to hear from him.

"The blonde looks exactly like she should, but you barely reacted, as always. Honesty, why are you like this? The city could be destroyed, people would die and you're scared, barely and hiding it with anger. That beam would destroy everything." Mikoto moans, staring in horror at the screen, because the words her Sister had just spoken had been perfectly clear, there was no other way to take them.

"Good god..." Heaven breathes, because he had known the beam was dangerous, but for it to have possibly destroyed that much of the city... He was not aware of that.

"There was so much we did not know about this entire incident and it all makes sense, now that I've seen everything." Yomikawa groans, before deciding she's going to leave the report only, because there is no way in hell the public needs to know the shit that had really happened.

"That much energy and the weird ass nature of the energy, and it could take out most of the city? There is no way it's all completely natural, so some of that must've been something more." Yoshikawa says, can already see in her mind exactly what the fuck that devastation would look like, after all she has seen the city after Esper battles, she knows destruction well.

She turns towards the light with a gasp, all of them startling as the light starts to get brighter, obviously about to go off. They can't go anywhere, the three girls standing close to each other, Accelerator still crouched behind them. The light starts to go, tearing up the ground right in front of it as it starts to expand. The three of them flinch and close their eyes, Houtou and Esther bringing their arms up defensively while the Sister accepts it. A form darts between Esther and the Sister, passing them without an issue. They all gasp and open their eyes when they are not hit, staring straight in front of them in horror as well as awe.

"No!!" Yomikawa yells, her voice strangled and harsh, because she knows exactly who just passed by those girls, who is risking their life in order to try and safe the city, not because he cares for it, but because the little girl he loves does, and he doesn't want her to be sad.

"Goddamnit!" Touma clenches his fist, regrets that he was not there to help, because Accelerator has no way of actually getting rid of the energy, he might be able to hold it off and perhaps, an extremely slim chance of redirecting it, but he can not disperse it like Touma, and he is still choosing to risk his life for this.

"I'm glad they're appreciating exactly what it is you're doing, but I can't say the same because what are we supposed to do if you die?! Do you even know what that would do to us?" Yoshikawa demands, moving closer until there is no space between her and Accelerator, needing to know he is ok, here and now, because he certainly was not then.

"Misaka refuses to keep on living if you are not around, it's not allowed, cries Misaka Misaka, willingly letting out the words that will change your mind, hopefully. Last Order was created with a code that will cause her to kill herself and take out the rest of the Sisters, if you die!" Last Order turns and clings to him, but her words ring in Accelerator's head, because he wants the Sisters happy, but living to atone to them only does so much, but he can't die either?

"Wait, what?" Mikoto gasps, turning to the tiny clone. She nods, not moving from her position against Accelerator who seems just as shocked and horrified as Mikoto to learn this, Touma just looks scared because damnit, why were the fuckin researchers like this?

"He's doing the only thing that remains, but still, there should've been other options. Why was no one else there? I doubt the other level 5's were so far away they could not offer help or something, especially since they had no way of knowing someone was already there!" Index mutters, hating the rules f the city even more, because those rules fuck with everyone and ruin everything with no hesitation at all, just by existing. 

Esther and Houtou's hair moves with the force of the attack, but Accelerator is there, braced against the ground, his left arm up to block the attack and his right one bracing his arm in order for him to not give in. The point at which he touches the energy is just a bright light, nothing else can be seen from there, everything too bright. The force is pushing him back as well, his feet skidding along the ground, the albino grunting in effort and perhaps pain. 'I can't disperse it-' His hand appears to be touching the very edge of the attack, almost cradling it, his right hand is not clutching at his left, but it is indeed supporting it. '-with vector manipulation.' He looks tired and extremely worried, but he's still fighting.

"Shit..." Touma breathes, because he was right, the albino can not do anything against it.

"All that strain on your leg, you must be in pain..." Heaven frets, because being pushed back like that with a bad leg, which hurts when the battery is low - like it is in that moment - god how is the albino still standing?

"Don't just stand there, try and help him!" Yoshikawa cries, because those girls are standing there watching, but surely Esther can try to help, with her charms and such, or Houtou could support him someone, why aren't they doing anything, damnit? More tears are welling up in her eyes, her child might die yet.

"You're not allowed to die before us, you hear me? Yoshikawa and I are almost double your age, so we die first. If you die before us, I will make you regret once I die, you hear me? I refuse to lose both of you at the same time, it's not happening!" Yomikawa grabs his chin, forcing the albino to meet her gaze, refusing to let him think she might be playing, because there is no way in hell he would ever listen if she didn't make it clear she's serious. And she is. If these two die before her, she can't even begin to think of it, not after all the time they've spent together.

"I can agree with the sentiment, I'm glad you want to save them and all, but you really are in no condition to be fighting on your own, there must be something the others can do to help, anything?" Index asks uselessly, because it's pretty clear they're not going to help him at this moment, unable to handle that. Last Order has tightened her grip on him, to the point he's starting to hurt just a bit, but he's not going to force her to let go, not when he knows that she's worried.

'Does this have more of that crap mixed in it?' He sounds angry at just the thought, as well as just the slightest bit concerned, because he knows his ability does not work on it. 'Either way it has-' The cut on his cheek is still bright, and he's glaring at the energy as if it's personally offended him and it might as well have. '-to be done. If that damn hero isn't around, I'll have to do it myself.' He narrows his gaze further, clearly his resolve has strengthened as much as it ever will, nothing will be able to stop him. Last Order sleeping on a bed, cuddling with her frog plush. 'I've got no other choice.' The plant can be seen out her window, the very top of it glowing brightly, fluctuating. He keeps his focus on the energy, refusing to back down any more. 'There's a chance the explosion might reach her.' The battery in his choker gives a slow blink, the red light flickering. 'Doesn't matter how-' Clearly he can feel the battery dying, but he won't be stopping. He's scowling at the energy. '-ugly this gets.' He grits his teeth, probably already aware he might get killed and will most definitely get injured in this process.

"You're not allowed to die! Cries Misaka Misaka, angry you would do something like that, because you are important to Misaka!" Last Order tightens her grip on him, moving to feel his heart beat in order to let herself know that he really is alive, because this is her idiot, her dad, and she refuses to let him down just because he wants to protect her.

"I love that you love and care for my Sisters, and Last Order especially, but dying for them is not going to make them happy, ya know? You're not allowed to die for people who love you, you're supposed to live for them because dying does nothing for them, you dumbass!" Mikoto exclaims, her grip around her drink getting tight, the can creaking a bit, her eyes refusing to leave the screen even to glare at the albino himself, worry making her spark.

"What's the point of risking your life for those you love? I get that if it's between you and them choosing yourself is the way you'd go, but if there's another way or chance or doing it, why won't you take it?" Index demands, because Touma is the exact same way and honestly these idiots are going to get killed long before their time because they are trying to... get themselves killed. The nun slumps at the possible realization that had just hit her.

"You had better get your ass out of there safely, you stupid shit! You're not allowed to die, not even close, you fucker!" Yomikawa yells, shifting so she's pressed up against Accelerator as well, leaving him no room to squirm or get free, every inch of him being touched so they can reassure themselves that he is alive, though they are still careful to avoid his bag leg or any of the other parts of him where there are aches.

"Stop going to such extremes! You did the same thing for me, and while  I am grateful, I also really want you to live your life, you shit! Stop trying to die for people." Yoshikawa hisses, tightening her grip and almost scooting closer despite there being no way for that to actually happen.

"I can admire the resolve and will you have, because how can I not, I am indeed similar in that way, but I don't feel like pushing yourself this hard and far is going to do you any good. Especially because the people you are protecting want you to return to them, which is not something you think is true, because you do not believe there are actually people who care about you." Touma murmurs, shifting a bit, though the way his hand is clenched around the back of the futon as well as the tapping of his foot are clear hints to his worry, his focus completely on the screen.

"Ah, this is going to set your recovery back so much...." Heaven sighs, hand rising to his head, his own signs of worry since he refuses to scold the teen when they're all going to talk about this later.

"I am always fuckin willing to give my life if it means those I care about even the slightest bit get the chance to live longer! Besides, I didn't realize Last Order and the Sisters lives were almost literally tied to mine, I had no way of knowing they would die with me!" Accelerator groans, annoyed at the attacks against him, because his life holds very little meaning, not with how stained, tainted and fucking ruined, twisted, and torn his soul is.

"We don't care about that at this point, you dumbass! We care because we don't want to lose you, you stupid little shit!" Yomikawa yells in retaliation, angry about his damn lack of any sense of self preservation. 

'I'll do whatever it takes!' He is not struggling, no strain in his voice, because he is so focused he does not feel it. He is determined, his resolve, will and strength all poured toward not letting the explosion reach Last Order. The light on his battery goes out, indicating it's most likely dead or pretty close to dying. 'I'll pour all the remaining-' The energy slices into his palm, blood spraying, and he almost sounds desperate as he comes up with a plan on the fly. '-battery life-' Another slice along his palm. '-into just doing-' His teeth are grit, eyes focused ahead, hair blowing a bit in the wind created by the energy, but he's not budging. '-the calculations.' Another slice to his hand, then another, blood flying through the air. He can barely be seen from behind, the light so bright he's almost blocked out. 'There's no reason to stay standing.'

"Dear lord, you idiot, don't think like that!" Index moans, wanting to bite the albino because she knows he is better than this and that he deserves to live as much as any other person, even if he really does not seem to think the same thing as them.

"The battery light died! What does that mean?! Is it dead or just running on fumes!?" Mikoto demands, setting her snacks and drink on the ground by her feet in order to not destroy or explode them in any way, absentmindedly sending bits of electricity between her hands to calm herself down, even the slightest bit.

"You really are going way too far for this, you're lucky you can even still think, never mind put anything into blocking that attack or redirecting it, whichever you are going for." Heaven wants to cover his face in despair, but there's no way he's taking his attention away from the screen. That explains the wounds that had been on the teen's hands, it likely hit his arm as well, but what about the rest?

"I refuse to watch you die, just because there are no other options, so figure something the fuck out, you hear me, you bastard?" Yomikawa demands, tugging a bit at his hair in order to silence him when he opens his mouth, likely to argue again.

"Shit, if the battery died, how the hell are you going to get out of this ok? That energy is something you were already struggling with, not having your reflect or anything means it could completely destroy you." Yoshikawa sometimes regrets how much she knows due to her studies, because she would love to not know her child could easily die in this moment, but even without her knowledge, the Sister's explanation still would've made it clear to her.

"Oh, no.... I hate that there is nothing anyone can do to help you either... Your battery is dead, you're bleeding, and on top of all that strain already on your body, you are an almost literal walking disaster. You need help, but no one is going to support a person known for murdering people, which is stupid because everyone knows rumors are almost always exaggerated, especially since the only rumor to get out was the 1st ranked being beaten by a level 0." Touma groans, his grip getting tighter, until Mikoto reaches over and stops him, a small zap running through him.

Last Order can not be bothered to say anything, just watching wide wide eyes, refusing to loosen or release her grip, staying as close to him as possible, because he is her dad, her's, and there is no way she's going to let him get away with dying before her, not just because that will also have herself and all the Sisters dying, but because she hates the thought of having to exist - even for just a few moments - in a world without him. 

His left leg is bent a bit, the right one starting to buckle under all the pressure, Esther and Houtou watching, the back of their bodies all that can be seen. Accelerator has no time to be babying them or helping them, so he completely misses Esther's soft gasp or her scared eyes as she watches him. 'I have to give everything-' He crouches, his right leg tucked under him, it is after all his bad one. '-everything I have.' He's starting to sweat a bit, his focus so strong and his energy so spent. He closes his eyes, focusing completely, lowering his head a bit as he does. Esther watches in awe, but she grunts, starting to move forward. "Master!" Her cry echoes, the light growing brighter. Last Order, turning to look at someone, before closing her eyes and giving a soft, gentle, cute smile, which easily turns into an open mouthed one, almost like she's laughing.

"Now she chooses to make a move and do something? Not sooner than this in any way? What the hell is wrong with her?!?" Touma demands, because that is supposed to be his friend, his student, but she is not acting like either, she is in fact doing extremely poorly in both and he has no issue in holding a tiny grudge about that since Accelerator already has issues with his lack of friends.

""Are you... Are you using thoughts of Last Order to keep yourself together, the memory of her smile and laugh something to keep you together and make sure nothing stops you?" Mikoto asks a bit breathlessly, because the fact that he uses thoughts, moments, memories of her youngest Sister to keep himself on the right path, to not veer off track, and it touches her heart, to know he cares so deeply.

"I am not surprised in the slightest bit that your bad leg is the one to give out first, but to know you are being forced lower due to the pressure and the force is not something I like, least of all since that droop of your head means you are giving in to your exhaustion at the moment." Heaven murmurs, moving to motion his way through one of the more common procedures and practices he uses as a doctor, not even noticing it, something he does when he's worried and extremely stressed as well, especially since he knows what happens after this.

"I don't like that you're having to use that tactic in order to fuckin continue fighting against the damn energy, especially after what the hell you told us much later, so that means your desperate, so what the actual fuckin shit is affecting you so badly from that energy?" Yomikawa growls, staring, more than ready to rip the ball of energy to pieces with her bare hands because it hurt her child and more importantly, forced him to such extremes.

"I find it cute that you actually think of Last Order to keep yourself on track and to encourage yourself to keep going, but the fact that you have to really bothers me, because you should not need to do anything in order to remain on track, you are already working on it, this fuckin sucks." Yoshikawa mutters, staring intently, because that is her tired, hurting, aching child pushing himself in order to ensure he not only stays on the right path, but that his plan works.

Two black spiraling forms, like tornadoes, appear on Accelerator's back, right around his shoulder blades, dark against the light of the energy. 

"What the hell?!?" Index yells, sitting up and staring because those almost look like angel wings, but there's no damn way that's what they are, right? Because surely Academy City would not dare to try and create an artificial angel, right?

"There's no damn way..." Touma breathes, because he'd seen them before but had not really thought much of them before then, focused on something else at the time, but those look like angel wings and Index's reaction is a pretty good clue that the thought is right, but what the hell?

The others turn to them, but they get nothing, completely ignored so they choose to ignore this, at least for the moment, because there is no way they will just let that go. 

They're moving weirdly, not completely normal. His pupils are gone, leaving only white behind. 'I'll take control-' His hand is shaking, pulses from the energy easily seen. '-of everything!' Black starts to mix in with the light, standing out as it spirals amongst the brighter colors, the black tornadoes, long as well as huge. Esther stares in awe and confusion, Houtou looks impressed and the Sister is amazed, only the Sister having an arm slightly lowered from where she was blocking the wind. His hand is still shaking, the wind strong and pushing back, but then it steadies and he starts pushing it, tilting his hand and directing it up into the sky without problem.

"What the hell are those, because there has to be a reason why they only came out then, after your battery ran out and you were literally on fucking fumes, thoughts all on Last Order." Mikoto demands, staring in horror and awe, because he is managing to push and affect the damn energy now, but at what cost to himself?

"Misaka is not certain she knows why they appeared then, but she is extremely glad that you are ok now, states Misaka Misaka, knowing you would have lied to her about any injuries if she had asked." Last Order's attention is still on the two who are remaining suspiciously quiet, especially after their outbursts just a few moments ago.

"What are those? I don't remember reading anything about those in the fuckin file I was given and I sure as shit never saw you use them before this moment, so the actual hell are they and the fuck do they mean?" Yoshikawa is almost willing to physically pry the answer out of the albino if it means she knows whether he is dying or not, because that is not something she knows anything about and Esper powers so rarely evolve or change in any way...

"I see now... Those are what we saw, hmm?" Yomikawa mutters to herself, can easily remember the fear and horror inside her turning into confusion and awe as those black spirals appeared in view, and then the energy changed itself, something she is grateful for.

"I think that your power is far stronger than we thought it was." Heaven says bluntly, because that is not something he had expected and he knows a fair deal about the city as well as the teenagers, Espers in particular, that live there. 

The light swirls and flashes, heading into the sky, a barely there shockwave coming from it as it pours from the top of the plant into the sky, a laser beam for all intents and purposes, though it takes a few moments for it to steady instead of being squiggly. It tears through the clouds, easily getting through them, before the Earth is shown, the beam rocketing into space, two shockwaves going over the top most layer of the atmosphere from its speed. It finally thins and then is gone. The plant looks disgusting from above, the whole in the clouds from the beam letting in sunlight. The top of it stops glowing a multitude of colors, indicating the energy is all gone, used in the beam.

"But what the hell did that do to you?" Touma asks in worry, because he may be worried about the wings or whatever the hell they were as well as what they mean, but his worry for his brother's life is far more intense, especially since the teen had already been running on less than fumes.

"Holy shit... there was a lot of power built up and I shudder to think about that hitting the city, but there must've been another way to go about that, surely? I don't trust the fuckin twisters or what the fuck ever they were and would really like to know what the fuck happened, now." Yoshikawa hisses, though there are indeed goosebumps along her arms from the thought - the image in her head - of that beam hitting the city.

"I really want to know if that's the energy that was built up in order to make him a damn god, what the fuck else was he going to do with it, especially since I have a gut feeling it was not actually what he needed." Yomikawa inquires, tilting her head at the shockwaves and more than glad that they had not hit anything important, though the disgust from having to see the plant is easy to see on her face.

"Misaka is also glad the energy is gone and completely used up, but what about Dad? Inquires Misaka Misaka, her voice urgent and not bothering to hide her worry at all." Last Order shifts in order to be watching the screen instead of clinging to his torso, though her tiny arms and hands are still tight around his arm, clutching it like a life line and that may as well be what it is.

"To think it would be like that..."Index mutters, because those were definitely some form of wings, but they looked a lot different from what she's used to and even more concerning.... He had no control of them, much less knowledge of them. But, they were also black and the way they moved, he's lucky to be alive still.

"What kind of injuries and shit are there, because I really doubt that there was not an explosion or something similar near the starting point of the energy beam." Heaven murmurs, wonders if that there is what caused him to have to increase the recovery time. 

The plant leaves and such start dying immediately under the sunlight, withering up. "Master." She sounds desperate, voice breaking a bit but not completely. Accelerator's unconscious, blood leaking from his forehead in a familiar pattern, indicating he opened his wound again, blood leaking from the left corner of his mouth reaching to his chin while a second drop has barely formed on the right side. His head is resting in someone's lap, and he almost looks peaceful, except he may not be alive anymore. Houtou is standing a few feet away from his feet, the Sister is sitting on her knees, hands on her legs, roughly at his feet, staring intently at him, and Esther is giving him the lap pillow, staring down at him, her hands on the ground. "Wake up, please." Her voice cracks on the last word. The withered remains of the leaves are at the edges of the plant they reside on.

"Wait, no, you have to be ok..." Mikoto says weakly, her worry no longer able to be contained by playing with her electricity, eyes locked on the screen and tears starting to form in her eyes because that is the person who had risked life and limb in order to save her Sisters, for an atonement they can not currently give him but she can.

"This can't be happening, right? You're ok, right?" Touma is desperate, because losing the albino at that moment would hurt, in a way he is not certain he's ready for because losing people always hurts him, but this... he's never lost someone so close to him, and he can not imagine that kind of pain.

"No!" Last Order yells, shaking her head, tears already spilling from her eyes, worry and fear and grief and everything combining to leave her usual speech pattern nowhere to be seen, because he does not look good...

"Fuck, so that's what all of that was about. Goddamn, nothing went the way it should have, fuck!" Yomikawa growls, because she recognizes those wounds, knows exactly how he got them now, because she had kind of thought he was injured in the blast due to being inside the plant, not because he had been the asshole to redirect and fight the beam itself.

"That looks almost worse than when you first got shot..." Yoshikawa utters in horror, because while the blood is less and all, the intensity appears to be worse, blood from the mouth is never a good thing, could mean a lot.

"You had better not have gotten killed, because I refuse to learn to live in a world without you." Index tells the albino with zero hesitation, because she can not say she likes the cold, aching, pulsing feeling in her chest, let alone the tears gathering in her eyes, desperately praying he responds.

"I am right the fuck here, I would like to remind you assholes! I already lived through this shit, so stop all your worrying and shut the actual hell up. Just watch, damnit!" Accelerator yells in frustration, though he also really does not like having to see all of them react to this.

"Say something!" She's staring down at him, getting desperate, she has just lost both Hishigata and Hirumi, she might not last another death so precious to her so soon. "Give a sign if you hear me. I'm begging you, open your eyes Master!" She sounds desperate, but there are no tears in her eyes, she's clearly trying to be strong at this moment when he really needs her. Houtou is staring with blank eyes, though she appears sad, while the Sister is watching, a heavy air hanging around her, because not even she is certain of his fate. "Master! Master!" The Sister blinks, her mouth falling into a small 'o', clearly noticing something. They both gasp. He's talking, but it's impossible to understand what he's saying since the battery has died, only static escaping, along with maybe some gibberish.

"No....." Index utters, because she is beyond happy he is ok and alive and likely will recover, but he had been speaking in the language of the angels which confirms it : those had been wings and he is some sort of artificial angel created by the city, though they have lost all control of him.

"Hell yeah, but are you going to make it, with injuries like that? Your wound reopened, what does that mean? Is everything going to be ok?" Touma frets, hands flailing a bit as he worries, wondering if the albino had eaten and slept and done everything he really needed to in order to recover properly after injuries like that.

"Shit, it's no wonder they were so worked up when we finally reached them, they were worried as fuck and trying their hardest." Yomikawa groans, extremely glad her unit had gone inside the plant to find any survivors or the perpetrator, only to stumble upon those kids, in exactly the same position, at the very top of it. They'd had to call in an ambulance due to not knowing the extent of all the injuries.

"I swear to god, you are never allowed to do that again, you fucking hear me? I refuse to watch you die because you are trying to get redemption or atonement or whatever the fuck it is your after, so badly, ok?" Mikoto points at him threateningly, the albino giving her a barely noticeable nod.

"I was just doin the best I fuckin could, ok? There's only so damn much I was capable with my power and the battery was already fuckin dead, the hell did you want from me? Be glad I was only minorly injured like that and fuckin quit complaining." Accelerator grumbles at all of them.  

Esther blinks, before she inhales sharply. He's obviously not fully awake, since he has not bothered to open his eyes. A drop of water hits his face, followed by more, the blonde crying out of relief and grief, the drops hitting his cheeks. Esther has his head on her lap, her hands supporting his shoulders since the ground is uneven, his legs bent at the knees, the Sister staring ahead of her in relief, while Houtou seems to give off an air of respect and relief as well. The blonde keeps sobbing, lifting a hand to rest on his chest, about where his heart is, slumping over a bit as she cries. There's a smile on her face as tears fall down her cheeks, going between laughter and sobbing. More tears stream down her cheek, but none of them mention it or speak, clearly she is feeling more than just the grief of everything, but also the relief, the happiness, the success of doing something for herself and managing it, with some help.

"I agree with her! You fuckin go Esther, release those emotions!" Yomikawa cheers, tears streaming down her own cheeks, glad the idiot had survived and not been severely injured, though they had certainly not been great either.

"Fuckin hell.." Yoshikawa breathes a sigh of relief, hands clutched in front of her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks, so damn glad that everyone made it out of that alive and better by a great deal in every way, though most likely the one to benefit most will have to be Esther.

"You are banned from fighting for a month." Index deadpans, tears falling slowly down her cheeks, she had not been prepared for the emotions that had hit her once it had become extremely clear he was indeed alive and just unable to move.

"I see, now everything makes sense." Heaven mutters, wiping tears from his eyes, because he recalls these injuries and how he had treated them, so he knows the albino lives and gets to him for treatment. He is still so damn glad to see the little shit had survived all of that.

"She's expressing herself in the only way she can, good for her. I am not letting you go alone anywhere for a while, just so know, you dumbass." Mikoto informs the albino from where she is, not moving an inch, the tears on her cheeks ruining the order just a bit but not completely.

"I thought that I was bad, but you are somehow worse and I refuse to let that be. If you're going to fight, I will be right at your fuckin side, so don't you dare try to keep anything from me, you hear me?" Touma threatens his brother, the words ruined by the way he's rubbing tears off his cheeks, though they just keep coming.

Last Order is cuddling Accelerator's arm, trying to clutch to any part of him at this moment so that there is no way she can doubt his current state of being. She's hiccupping a bit, tears falling again, as she messily wipes them away with her fingers. 

The sun is starting to peek through the clouds, most of the area still covered with them, the plant a dying monstrosity still, all color lost as it turns brown. A train running underground, red markings on its side, a cup with some kind of food or drink resting in it. "The damage is extensive." A spoon starts for the cup. "If we hadn't been protected when it happened-" The spoon takes a small chunk of the food and then it's lifted to a man's mouth, where he eats it easily. "-we might've been in danger as well." He eats the bite, clearly savoring it. A girl with long, brownish orange hair, and green eyes, watching the man. "It's like I've said, there's no safer place to be than in this train." The woman dips her head and closes her head. "Yes." She lifts her head and opens her eyes. He's wearing a red suit, with a white undershirt and black tie. "The darkness runs deep through this city. Not even that beam of-" He's thinking it over, his eyes closed and hands clasped together in front of him."-light that pierced the heavens would be able to reach this place." He does not open his eyes, more of a sort of denial of reality. "As for the 1st ranks power-" He opens his eyes, revealing them to be brown. "-I wonder how far it can reach."

"I really fuckin hate that they all refer to me as my rank and title rather than my goddamn name, but I would hate it more if they called my name as if we were on friendly terms, so I guess I can deal with those asshats calling me the 1st ranked." Accelerator sighs, the exhaustion and emotional ride having tired him out in a way he's not used too.

"Are you saying they had this planned out?" Touma blurts out in horror, because they might've been in danger as well, but clearly the man had some sort of plan for that in mind, as well as the knowledge of who would be reacting to everything going on. The Board is seriously messed up.

"There's no damn way they planned all of that bullshit, but they at the very least had a goddamn hand in a huge chunk of it, because they refuse to let anything happen in the city if they don't damn well know at least a little bit about it. Those bitches..." Yoshikawa growls, staring at the man with a deadly gaze that would have his very soul being removed in a matter of seconds if she were able to do that.

"I seriously regret not having the ability to get away with fuckin punching them in the damn face, but at this point, I will absolutely settle with just knowing they are not certain how strong you are either, not with that last bullshit comment." Yomikawa hisses, more than amused to know that Accelerator had managed to hide a good deal of his powers from the Board without meaning to. 

The girl gives a bow and then starts to back away without lifting out of it, leaving him alone. Glass windows, windmills outside, the sun rising. The hospital, the sky bright and the sun out, nothing to black it out at all. "Seriously?!" Last Order sounds completely exasperated. She looks a bit angry at whoever she's speaking to. "What made you decide you could just skip out-" Accelerator is a hospital bed, wearing the gown they provide in a teal color, a bandage on his cheek and around his forehead, manga in hand, paying no attention to the tiny girl. The hand not holding the book up is crossed behind his head. "-on today's check up, demands Misaka Misaka being forced to lecture you yet again!" She makes several motions, her arms in a v form moving up and down as she speaks. Accelerator closes his eyes, looking tired of her voice already. "If you're done would ya buzz off and let me read in peace?" He sounds tired still, but not the exhaustion from before, the low gravelly tone to his voice not anger but simple frustration at having to be in her presence, like a child bothering their parent.

"This is what you were doing? That check up was important!" Heaven says in exasperation, more worried, though he appears a bit amused as well, especially since the albino is literally just reading and likely missed because he was not paying attention to time.

"Why are you such a parent? Like, what the actual hell? You have not had the greatest role models, but somehow you are like the weirdest mix between brother and dad I have ever seen." Mikoto grumbles, though she's not bothering to hide her smile because this is so cute, her Sister bonding with her favorite person.

"At least you got treated and appear to be better, since you're already sitting there being annoyed by Last Order and reading. How much sleep did you get though? You still appear to be pretty damn tired." Touma frets, staring intently, because there are a lot of bandages and he is now in a gown instead of his own clothes, which means he was taken back in for at least a week, so they must've been worried about him opening the wound again or something else.

"Oh, so that explains everything. I see now..." Yomikawa mutters, though her voice is lost under Yoshikawa's, "You damn idiot, this is what happens when you do something without asking for help!"

"I get why Heaven doesn't like when you're injured and it's mostly because you're hurt with the rest being because dealing with you is a pain. You've opened that wound 3 times in the time it took for all of this to happen, and this last time you came in with more injuries. You really need to learn to relax properly." Index muses, well aware Heaven doesn't much like having Touma in his hospital either, or any teenager or child. 

She gives a smile. "Misaka Misaka will do anything, just ask." She opens her eyes and looks a bit angry at him. "But will she go away because you think she's being annoying? Nope." She leans back and closes her eyes, clearly thinking she got one up on him. "She declares, drawing a line in the sand." The hand he has behind his head is also wrapped in bandages, the light on his battery green. He opens his left eye with an "Oh?" like he doesn't actually believe her.

Touma bursts into laughter, already having a pretty good idea where this is going to go, because the tiny girl appears to be pretty easy to trick with simple tasks, even if she won't leave because he asks, proving just how much of a parent the albino really is.

Yomikawa and Yoshikawa share an amused look, chuckling as well because they're the guardians - parents really - of the albino, and have absolutely dealt with Accelerator when he feels like doing nothing or just wants to sleep, so they are well aware what trick he might pull out.

Mikoto and Index are dying, the nun because she is enjoying the fact that the tiny girl completely rebuffed him as well as gave as good as she got. The way he sounded also made it completely obvious how much he didn't believe her. Mikoto is laughing because all of Accelerator's attitude is coming back to haunt him through her Sister, as well as the fact she can easily remember her mother using a tactic that started off something like this, so she knows with a pretty good certainty exactly what he's going to do.

Last Order is staring in confusion, wondering what they are laughing about, though she's also enjoying cuddling with her dad, so she is pretty content and distracted, especially since he was almost killed during that and she had not been there to help him.

Heaven is trying to hide his laughter, but to think the teen would act normal despite almost being killed and more importantly, like nothing is wrong, it's just the thing he was not expecting... though he is worried about the compartmentalization that is required for him to be ignoring all that trauma, that or the little shit is just pushing it down instead of making plans to face it later.

"Then go and buy me one of those whatever they're called cans of coffee." She's staring at him in surprise, not expecting that response to her words." The kind they only sell in school district-" He offers out his golden money card, her face lighting up in joy as he does so. "-14." He sounds like a parent, sending their child somewhere safe but away from them to get a break. "Right away-" She takes the card from him, her eyes closed in content, knowing he's offering her a lot of trust by giving her his card, since it contains most of his money. "-Says Misaka Misaka-" She spins away, moving away from the bed. "-thrilled that you trusted her with such an-" She spins and throws her arms out to the side with a grin. "-mission." She turns, arms out like an airplane as she heads for the door. "As she rushes off to purchase one!" The door to his room opens, Yomikawa standing there in her Anti-Skill gear, Last Order giggling as she approaches, before going just barely past the woman who moves the slightest bit to the side for her.

"You trust her with your money card? How much money do you have to give her free access without fear? And what are you doing there, Yomikawa?" Mikoto is amused, because the woman looks so confused, and had only just barely gotten out of the way, though her Sisters actions are just as amusing.

"I can't even be surprised that you trust her that much, after all, you loan it to us as well with your super sneaky ways on the off chance we might run out of money or anything of the like while shopping." Yomikawa grins in amusement, wondering how much more he has stored up and exactly what he plans to do, because schooling might be a good thing, get him some friends and out of the house.

"I am loving that face you are making, you look so much like a fuckin puppy, confused and like you are doubting if you're in the right room." Yoshikawa cackles, because she's the woman's best friend, she's allowed to make fun of her, though she also can't blame the woman because Last Order and Accelerator are an odd pair to most people.

"I feel like you have way too much money in your hands and no goal for your future. Why not come to school? It would be interesting, you would be able to pass with no troubles and you might make friends. Besides which, it would get you 8 hours 5 days a week where Last Order can not bother you and you can choose to study something else instead of whatever the class is doing." Touma inquires, genuinely curious to see why the albino has not ever gone to school though he has a pretty good idea why.

"I don't fuckin know about that. We'd have to hide my damn identity, and that's only the first issue. I have no known name besides Accelerator, so how the fuck would I register? I have no parents, so I'm an orphan and while I live with Yomikawa, putting her address feels a bit wrong. I have no goddamn way to go to school, even if I fuckin wanted to go." Accelerator protests immediately, because getting into school has always been nothing more than a hassle to him. 

Yomikawa stares after the tiny girl, looking confused. 'Does he have a child at his age?' She seems surprised at even the thought, though mostly curious, not a hint of judgment there. She turns disbelieving eyes at the door, clearly not certain about that. 'No, she couldn't be.' She sounds amused at that, her thoughts clearly echoing that. She turns to look down the hall again, Last Order still giggling as she heads out. 'But she's too young to be his-' The woman closes her eyes, confused but obviously giving up on it for the moment. 'I'm sure there's a logical explanation. Best not to read into it.' She rounds the corner of his room, a smile on her face. "Yo." He's still sprawled out, his legs bare and not moved an inch, but on his bedside table there is a red ball, made of paper, an extremely familiar one.

"How fuckin old did you think I was?!" Accelerator protests immediately, because he has never had willing sex and there is no damn way he got someone pregnant at the age of fuckin 5, and yet she still thought that. On top of that, Last Order looks nothing like him, not even a bit.

"Well, it was less the age and more the actions, as well as the unspoken words. I had barely seen either of you, but she was in your room despite the attitude you were known for, your reputation didn't bother her and she appeared to be extremely happy. Besides, I kind of thought you were like 17 or something, ok?" Yomikawa mumbles, a tad bit embarrassed, though not enough to take it back.

"Is that the paper ball Esther made that you would not take? Did you finally take it or did she leave it there while you're dumbass was unconscious/ unable to move?" Mikoto asks in amusement, because there is an extremely obvious hint to his affection for the girl, since there's nothing else in the room.

"Holy shit, can you imagine if Yomikawa had actually asked any of that to him?" Touma asks, trying really hard not to die, the words only just barely gotten out from between laughter.

"I'm not sure whether to be offended or just entirely amused, because you're kind of saying she appears to be like him in some way, but you're also saying he appears older than he is, which is true but also not, if you manage to get the right topic." Mikoto muses, her lips pursed in thought, because despite the fact that Last Order is her clone and her Sister, the tiny girl does act rather a lot like the albino, and quite different from the other Sisters, which is a bit odd.

"I think you are not wrong, because while they may not be related through blood, he's certainly the father in that, no matter how much he argues it, though she cares for him just as much, since he sucks at emotions and such, so it's not far from a parent child relationship." Heaven grins, because he had always thought they were pretty close, especially given they appeared to barely know each other, with the way the albino had acted towards her upon first waking up.

"I think you're not wrong. After all, blood hardly matters most of the time when it really comes down to it. Sure they can be family, but if blood won't care it's almost certain you'll be able to find someone who will care that is not blood. It's cute." Index mutters, watching Accelerator lose his original skin color completely, completely red on all visible parts of his skin that can be seen, at least from his shoulder up, though the nun has no doubt it goes down to at least his chest. At least. 

"You're looking well." He closes his eyes and tips his head down, unused to even this small amount of kindness. "Right. If you're convinced of that, then you ought to see an eye doctor." He's back to normal, voice rough but not with anger, the usual for those who are close to him. Yomikawa is standing at his bedside. "Come on, don't be that way." She's looking at him with a certain amount of fondness, as well as respect. "I'm here to apologize for the entire disaster." He opens both eyes at that, looking unconvinced, a "Huh?" escaping him, sounding confused and he has a right to be. He blinks to make sure he heard her right. "This incident has wiped out DA." He looks like he's paying attention to his manga again, but there's no way he's not listening. Yomikawa's hair comes all the way to her knees, even in a ponytail and the red ball resting on his bedside table has not moved despite being round. "And any survivors have been apprehended." She's closed her eyes, remorse on her face. "I'm sorry you got involved." She bows. "But thanks." She never once sounded fake or like she was anything less than sincere.

"You had better have thanked him, the dumbass almost got himself killed for this. Though that reaction is the worst. You're so unused to thanks and other kind words that you literally can't react to them the way most others would, so you have to make due, hmm?" Yoshikawa theorizes in a tad bit of amusement, though that has nothing on the anger running through her veins for the people who had a hand in the albino's childhood.

"Good god, if I had realized that was just how you were everyday, I might've relaxed around you a bit more, jesus. I thought you were just tired or some shit. Nope, you're really just a snarky, sarcastic little shit." Yomikawa shakes her head, fake exhaustion on her face from having to deal with his antics at the house.

"I am glad someone is thanking him, but having you be formal with him is kind of really weird. What the hell is with you reacting like a limp piece of paper? Not even surprised, just confused because she's being grateful!? Argh!" Mikoto snatches her snack back up, shoving bits into her mouth and chewing aggressively, trying extremely hard not to wonder if she would've been just as bad if her mother had left her alone with researchers when she was young.

"I find it hilarious that you are not bothering with a defense around her besides your normal one. On top of that, she's only dealt with you a few times by this point, but she's already fond of you, did you see that look? Is that why you were struggling so much?" Touma teases the albino, watching the skin that had been returning to pale, almost white return to red.

"Fuckin hell, I was having a hard time, alright? I was still tired as hell, I was sore and in a bit of pain since medication only works so well on me, and I can count the number of people who have genuinely thanked me on 1 hand at that point, ok? The look in her eyes had thrown me off as well and I already wasn't at my best. Leave me alone, damnit..." Accelerator grumbles, the warmth on his face, neck and chest making him squirm because there's no chance of hiding it, though he also had not lied to them. 

"With your help, we lanced a boil infecting Anti-Skill." He looks away, clicking his tongue harshly. Brown roots are barely recognizable as part of the plant. "Still, what was that thing anyways?" There are several Anti-Skill people cleaning up the mess. One of the coffins, several members in front of it, one recording evidence. "All the reports said was an experiment by a researcher named Hishigata Mikihiko had gotten out of control." Qiong Qi, the poles still embedded in it. "And broke free." Taotie, deactivated and slumped. "But it's appearance was so gruesome, I have to believe it was something else." She stands from her bow, staring at him, clearly aware he likely knows something.

"I mean, she's not wrong and considering how little she has to go on, she's pretty damn on target." Mikoto muses, making a mental note to never lie to the woman since she'll likely see through it if it's not thought through completely.

"I find it amazing that with just a gut feeling and the look of something, you can tell something else must've happened, despite most people likely believing the report. You are pretty smart, aren't you?" Index asks, more than amused because this woman really does belong in Anti-Skill, though she might be better off making her own business as well.

"You truly are a terrifying woman, you know that, right? To be able to tell all that from a simple report and nothing more, as well as having experienced it in person, something is telling you it's wrong, so you're asking the person who would know." Heaven grins, because he has a feeling he knows how Accelerator will respond.

"What the hell did Houtou do to Hundun? And why the hell are they not questioning this more? A plant and machine based experiment that went off? Like fuckin hell!" Touma exclaims, because there is no reason anyone should just agree with that, but it's most likely they're keeping quiet about their doubts, since the Board would likely silence anyone who speaks out about it.

"I find the report extremely disturbing now that I know what actually happened, because it's clearly a large cover up, but at the time I was still confused because nothing was adding up. I can see why now." Yomikawa mutters, her lips thin in anger, because she hates the things that can be covered up like they're nothing.

"How damn long did it take to undo the damage that was caused by everything? Were samples taken or anything? Did they dismantle the coffins?" Yoshikawa fires off without waiting, because those are important, they might actually be extremely dangerous if left alone.

"I doubt they kept the shit, they likely got rid of it after giving a few researchers a chance to observe it, claimed it got destroyed or some shit and hid it in the depths of the darkness where very few things ever get out of." Accelerator murmurs, can recall watching a few different researchers that worked with him doing something like that. 

"Since you reached its center, you must know something, right?" He looks put on the spot, staring at her, his mouth open the slightest bit. He had not expected to be questioned considering the look he's giving her, surprised and honest. He looks away from her, being deliberate about it. "I can't help you there." He sounds bone tired, different from before, a sigh pretty much woven into the words. He keeps his eyes on whatever he's looking at, looking a bit fond and resigned. "All I know is multiple villains were working together on something that caused a chemical reaction." He looks fragile and more weak in the hospital gown then if he were in his own clothes, the bandages wrapped around him bright and the bags under his eyes from dealing with horrible shit easily seen.

"I really don't like those hospital clothes on you or how much you sound tired, instead of just looking like it. No one as young as you should ever sound like that." Yomikawa groans, because she hates watching kids, good kids, be corrupted and destroyed by the city, especially those who have no other choice.

"Fuckin hell, you make me feel hyper and I am pretty lazy on most days, so that says something, you dumbass." Yoshikawa grumbles at the albino, shifting to give him a bit of room, though she stays close because he does stupid shit when left alone with no adults to stop him.

"I think you should be sleeping, this seems like some pretty serious exhaustion and while that may not be all that's in your voice, a good ¼ of it likely is, especially since you're in pain and only just started recovering." Touma murmurs, eyeing the albino and the way he had turned away, protecting Esther in his own ways, since he has no say after the words leave his mouth.

"Misaka is extremely glad you are protecting Esther, but you should not sound so resigned about villains, you had nothing to do with this, so don't make it sound like you did! Exclaims Misaka Misaka, annoyed that you are still putting yourself down even now, when you've done something good." Last Order is pouting at him, though there's an angry gleam in her eyes because he's one of her favorite people and watching him hurt is painful, especially when he's hurting himself.

"I can't say I don't agree with you hiding Esther and protecting her like that, but surely you could have phrased it better and definitely made it seem less like you're involved in a bad way, because you literally got hurt saving the city, you dumbass." Mikoto throws her hands into the air, because he is really trying to make people hate him, pushing them away before they can even try to get close to him so they are not in danger.

"You are a troublesome one, aren't you just?" Heaven sighs, because that movement likely hurt the albino quite a bit, and he had certainly never mentioned medicine wearing off pretty quickly, so he had been punishing himself, though he also might not have known that painkillers are not supposed to wear off that quickly. 

The bedside table is able to be seen a bit better, the red ball and under it, the bag with the frog sticker that held the box with the cookies. Yomikawa's back can be seen. She leans forward a bit. "Surely there's more to it." She's clearly poking gently to see if she can get anything. He turns away a bit, closing his eyes. "There wasn't any other damage right?" He turns completely, resting on his right side, left arm still behind his head, but he actually sounds sleepy now, instead of just tired. "Sounds like you guys did everything you could." He's clearly trying to tell her she did a good job without saying it. "Within the bounds of what you could do." He clearly knows there was likely some protest from the board. "Isn't that enough?" It almost sounds more like he's asking for himself than for her, especially with how soft and gentle his voice is, but there's no way to know.

"There was no reason for you to be asking, you did everything you could and so did everyone else, but you certainly went above and beyond what was expected of you, after all, you were recovering and pushing yourself, so you deserved rest." Yomikawa murmurs, petting through white hair, a bit sad but she recalls this conversation and she knows she won't bother him much longer, after all, she had been able to understand his double speech pretty well, and his tone was not hidden.

"Were you blaming yourself for not doing more? Or were you trying to reassure her, because I honestly can't quite tell, but both are equally likely, so I am going with both. You tried your hardest, did the best you could with what you were able to do, stop blaming yourself. You did more than you probably know." Touma urges the albino, because Touma's not even certain he could've done anything like that, encouraged Esther in the way she needed or done half the things the albino had done.

"How adorable. You kept the bag and the ball, a sign that you really do care for them. I think I can see why the Sisters like you, some of them even love you, ask you for advice and such, now I see why..." Mikoto murmurs, a small smile on her face, because Accelerator acts rude and has a rough, jagged personality, but he also keeps the things important and that he loves close to him in his own way.

"I'm glad you were at least staying in bed, recovering as much as you need to, because I might've put you in an isolation room in order to get you to not leave, so you could recover with no further damage coming to you." Heaven grumbles, fondly annoyed at how often his patients get up and leave the hospital before they're fully healed in order to stop or save something, only to return hurt more.

"I really hate that you even have that tone of voice. No kid should sound like that and I imagine most of them don't, not even those from the dark side. That's from having killed the Sisters, isn't it?" Yoshikawa sighs, because she had noticed how his tone and attitude slowly changed the further into their experiment they got, as they broke and changed him in a way that could not be undone easily.

"I find a certain amount of courage for him to be able to reassure a woman older than him like that, especially since he sincerely means it, even if he's also making a jab at himself because he thinks he did not do his best." Index muses, finding the intricacies of human emotion and insecurity to be so fascinating, in a devastating, heartbreaking, tear inducing way.

Yomikawa is staring at him sadly, had clearly heard more from his sentence than he had thought she would. A sign reading morgue. "I have to do this Houtou." Esther's voice is breaking and there are tears in her eyes. "Forgive me." The girl has no clothes on yet again, laying on a bed, a pillow under her head and the sheet covering her. "There is nothing to apologize for." The girl opens her eyes, staring above her. "I'm a pseudo soul that obeys your orders. Carry out your task." She sounds so lifeless, even after everything. Esther closes her eyes. "I'm going to release the spell. And after that, we'll return Hasami Hitokawa's body to her family. You'll return to the charm." The view pans up from her sheet covered chest to her head. "Losing all memories I've made up to now." She does not look sound, but there was a hint of it in her voice.

"Wait, no I wasn't ready for this." Mikoto can feel tears gathering in her eyes, because she had kind of forgotten that Houtou was first implanted so the girl would get peace, but losing the soul is going to hurt, because she had become important.

"Misaka is not happy that Esther has to get rid of Houtou, but it's the right thing and she is happy the blonde is managing to do it, sighs Misaka Misaka, happy and sad for her friend who is suffering due to that choice." Last Order is already close to crying, though she is much calmer than earlier, since the pseudo soul was always going to be returned.

"Damn, I didn't know the soul was going to lose all memories that were made, I figured they would be more useful to remember, but they're really just fuckin gone? Damnit, no wonder the blonde brat was like that." Accelerator groans, tipping his head back, wondering if the things he said had helped her or if they had hurt her, since she had not told him about Houtou.

"Wait, all memories are going to be gone? Who the hell is going to stand by Esther's side then? Accelerator is staying in the city and he's the only one left who knows what really happened if she goes through with this. Will she be able to handle losing another person so damn soon?" Touma frets a bit, taking the last sip of his coffee and then crushing the can in his worries, tears gathering in his eyes as well because he wasn't prepared to get so attached to people who were never meant to be around long anyways.

"Damnit, she's staying with us if she ever comes back, because at this point, we're now the only ones who can stand beside her who know for certain what happened and Accelerator is the only one left alive who was right there by her side for most of that shit, so she'll be staying with us." Yomikawa declares, wonders how much strength this girl has to be doing this after such a short amount of time, with little time to grief or mourn.

"Oh man, I wonder why the souls must forget. Is it to keep them under control and keep them from rebelling, is it to keep the charms like a blank slate so nothing goes wrong due to the memories or is it just because they never thought the souls deserved memories when they made the charms?" Yoshikawa muses to herself, because there is so much that could potentially be changed for the charms that might help the Rosenthall's, but at this point it's probably too little too late.

"Is that right?" Esther has her hands on the bed, and fists the sheet between them. She's crying again, tears falling from her eyes, clearly these are from grief only. Houtou looks calm. "I knew this was destined to be my fate. Remember:" A flashback to Esther, the pseudo soul repeating the words. "I've learned that necromancy doesn't return what was taken from us." The blonde's eyes close. "When I tried to bring my friend back, I ended up losing her all over again." The necromancer rises to her feet, Houtou crouching by her, Hirumi's body in the vine in front of her. "We shouldn't tamper with death." The flashback ends, Houtou staring blankly still. "As we fought together." Esther is looking at her, listening. "I came to understand the truth." The circle appears around the table, as well as over her. "It wasn't wrong, the decision you made." Esther looks devastated by that. "Houtou."

"Oh no, why does she have to say that?!? I might've lasted, but now there's no way. Is she really saying goodbye to the blonde after everything they've been through? Damnit, that's not fair." Mikoto chokes out, tears slipping down her cheeks, trying to quiet her sobs so they can keep watchin, because damnit she wants to see what happens and how the blonde keeps going after this.

"She's trying her best to give the blonde a reason, to let her know that she is ok with the things have turned out and that the blonde was not wrong in her choices, not a single one. A good companion to have by her side, even for a short while." Index grins, though there are tears in her eyes and the sadness leaking from her smile makes it look far less happy, especially as she tries to wipe them away.

"This is not the way things should have to go, but I'm glad she is choosing to do this for the family of the poor girl who's body is being reanimated, though I wish there were a way to transfer Houtou to a new body, one no one would care about, without losing the memories, but that wouldn't be the same, would it?" Touma sighs, can feel grief and sadness settling on his shoulders, but it doesn't feel as heavy since he knows the others with him are mourning as well.

"Fuckin brat never told me any of this. She's gotten fuckin stronger, that's for certain. She would've shattered and broken the fuck apart if this had been before she beat Hirumi and Hishigata, but she's holding her own and making this even though it hurts her." Accelerator murmurs softly, his eyes soft with sadness and fondness, because she had taken more of his words to heart then he had thought, he might have actually helped her in some way.

"What is wrong with the city that this is what kids are reduced to? Making friends and seeking comfort from a teen barely older than them that's already suffering and barely recovered, as well as a corpse that they reanimated and truly came to care for, that they knew were never going to be there long? Fuck, she needs a hug!" Yomikawa swipes at a few tears that are escaping her eyes, because this is so not the kind of things kids should be worrying about. Yoshikawa can't even say anything, because this is both extremely interesting to watch as the soul is undone, but also extremely sad because that is the blonde's only friend, only confidant beyond Accelerator. 

The soul doesn't respond. "I recall your Master saying something. To be a hero, you have to reach out and save what's important." The charm appears over the circle, glowing the same pinkish red as the circles. She finally looks at Esther. "Adonai, if you would." Esther is leaning over her slightly, the charm in front of her, tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Very well." "One thing." Green eyes open and she turns to look at Houtou. Houtou is staring intently at her, clearly trying to pass on a bit of advice. "Even though I won't be by your side, and my memories will disappear, will I remain in yours?" Esther stares in surprise and sadness at the question, before closing her eyes and inhaling sharply. She turns back to Houtou, green eyes bright despite the tears. "Of course you will. I'll never forget you." She smiles, before holding her hand out, the pinkie extended.

"Noooo." Touma moans, feeling his heart take that hit hard, because damnit, Houtou is asking for Esther to keep her memories alive in order to get the blonde to keep living with her own morals, to never forget her for any reason. The soul had understood the blonde better than he realized and is now giving her something to keep moving forward with.

"Wait, Misaka is not ready for this, it's not ok, Houtou deserves to live too. Cries Misaka Misaka, unable to bear the sight of her friend in pain." Last Order is crying, tears running down her cheeks, quiet sobs and small hiccups coming from her, thin arms wrapping around her gently - so gently, in a way most would not think possible - in order to give her comfort.

"Why must the human heart be so quick to attach to someone, even going so far as to ignore the brain and anything it knows about the attachment being short and the pain that will come with it." Index wonders, because surely there is no way the blonde forgot she was going to have to do this, there is no way she did not know this was going to hurt her in the long run, but she had still chosen to get close to the soul, despite that.

The rest are too busy crying to actually say anything, thinking nothing more needs to be said. Accelerator is wondering when she did this, because he knows she came to visit him, so this must be what she was doing right beforehand, which explains why she had sounded just the slightest bit different when talking to him. He also is blushing faintly, because he had not realized how much of an impact he had on both of them. 

"I mean it." Houtou's hand comes into view, pinkie also extended. "Promise?" Their pinkies connect, hooking the slightest bit around each other. "Yeah. I promise." The hold gets a bit stronger. "Right." Esther is leaning over, her pinkie still latched, the charm glowing.

"That's so cute but god I hurt and I really don't want her to go. Esther must be seeing a pattern and I'm hoping she gets someone to help her because there's no way she's ok after this." Index mutters, giving up and just letting her tears fall, because there's no way the magician is not hurting, but she's still choosing to do this.

"Aghhhh. I really hate having to watch this shit. Houtou was not someone I ever got close to, but the blonde brat, fuckin hell, she wormed her way into a better position then stranger, and she shouldn't have to deal with this shit anymore than Last Order does, goddamnit." Accelerator growls, sounding angry, but not at himself, rather at the situation itself, which is something they can all agree with.

"I hope this is a promise that will keep Esther going for many years, because otherwise she likely won't live long, her guilt and regret crushing her under their weight." Touma mutters, a heavy feeling in his gut, because there is no question in his mind that without this promise and her will, the girl would kill herself.

"Misaka is sad that Houtou must go, but at least she is leaving something behind to keep Esther going, exclaims Misaka Misaka, more than happy the soul had learned to live properly under the blonde and her dad." Last Order indeed looks proud, even as tears drip down her cheeks, because there is no way on Earth she could not be proud of the pseudo soul for learning it has meaning, even if it will not remember.

"I really don't like the idea that this is something they could've adjusted and that they haven't, but honestly the Rosenthall family does not seem to be all that smart, except for Esther." Yoshikawa groans, because this must be a sort of punishment in order for them to not use the charms, because getting close and then having to remove them will hurt.

"Before you go, let me tell you something." The charm starts to glow brighter. "This isn't a memory. More of a reminiscence." Pink bits of dust, similar to the gold from Hirumi, start to float away from the girl. The red paper balls rocks a bit on his bedside table. His window is open, the blinds blowing in the wind, with the albino curled up on his left side, arm tucked under his head. His other arm is over his stomach and his legs are curled the slightest bit, but he's not covered by the sheets. He's sleeping, looking content and peaceful. The red paper ball floats in the wind, passing by his head. "Master..." His eyes open, locking on the wall in front of him, not asleep, merely resting. "Stop calling me that. Don't make me keep telling you." He sounds exasperated and more fondly tired as he says it.

"Aww, she wore you down because you know she's leaving and you can't bring yourself to be actually angry with her, though you're also probably too tired to bring up a mask at the moment as well." Yomikawa says with a small grin, her tears falling more as the girl's soul is released, happy to know the girl is now at peace, despite the fact that they failed her.

"Holy shit, I never expected this to hurt so much. Accelerator, tell me you at least helped her in some way, because she needs something at this point or she's not going to make it very long." Yoshikawa points a shaking finger at the albino, who can only give a shrug because he's not sure if what he said actually helped her or not.

"I thought you were sleeping, but then you would never sleep with your back to an open window, much less a closed one, as I recall." Heaven mutters, recalling the number of times he'd come in to find the albino sleeping on his right side despite his leg in order to make sure his back was not to a window, though more often he slept on his back, leaving only his front open.

"I'm glad you responded and didn't pretend to be asleep, though I am not exactly fuckin happy that Houtou had to be resealed. I guess that dust stuff means the removal was a success though, so at least the girl's soul is a t peace and Esther has learned something." Touma muses, grinning faintly as he wipes away the tears at his eyes, a warmth spreading at knowing the albino is somehow going to help her despite her not saying a thing about releasing Houtou to him.

"Surely she's not actually just going to leave it like that?! And did she really sneak in through your window? What the hell? The door would've worked." Mikoto hisses, scrubbing at her cheeks to stop the tears from escaping, though she knows it's a bit futile. 

Esther is behind him, standing in front of the window. She bows. "For what you did, thank you." He grunts and closes his eyes, clicking his tongue. "I'm not your Master, but here's some-" The top of Esther's head can be seen, since she still has not stood up yet. "-advice." She jerks up in surprise at the last word. "When it comes to mediocre folks-" His eyes are closed and he looks almost happy, peaceful. "-like yourself, you should avoid getting involved with any damned darkness again." He sounds like he wishes someone had told him that, as well as like he's about to start falling asleep. She stares in surprise, blinking once. He opens his eyes, regret, sorrow and other emotions he refuses to show others shining through. "From here on it's one way traffic." She nods with a grunt, getting the message loud and clear.

"Accelerator..." Yomikawa breathes, her heart hurting in different ways all at once, but mostly it's a mix of fondness and hurt for the teenager next to her, because he is hurting and still offering help to those who are trying to escape and successfully escaping the darkness.

"You really did help her, though I'm not certain that's going to be enough. She might need more, but the fact that you managed to surprise her means that you at least got through to her." Index murmurs, recalling easily how the girl had shattered, tripped, fallen and taken more time than should've been necessary in order for her to get back up, and the loss of Houtou most likely has shaken her.

"Damnit, there's gotta be something you can say. And don't put yourself more into the darkness for her, she won't appreciate it, though that's also only if she notices. Fuck, we want to help you out, but dousing yourself in the darkness willingly for others is not helping your case, though we certainly appreciate it, we don't want you to do that." Touma grunts, annoyed that the idiot is practically dunking himself in the dark side for the blonde, though the advice had certainly been a good warning the blonde seems to have taken.

"Misaka is not happy you are calling yourself anything dark, because you are only smeared, you can still be helped and we are going to help you, understand? Demands Misaka Misaka, refusing to take anything but a yes for an answer." Last Order tugs on his collar to get his attention, forcing him to look at her, staring intently at him and refusing to back down or look away from the tired look he gives her in return, only relenting when he gives a sigh and nods his head once.

"Fuck, you sound so worn down and exhausted, and you're only letting your emotions show through your eyes at times when no one can see, because you don't want to burden them, but we want to help you with the burden, so stop that!" Yoshikawa sighs harshly, though the fondness for her oldest softens it a bit, because she knows that's something he wishes had been done for him, but no one could bother.

"Accelerator... You seem to think that by taking her place you can cover her mistake and push her out, but that's only going to sink you deeper and if you really want out you should be trying to struggle your way out while helping others as well. Though I get that the darkness is all you've known, so walking deeper into it does not scare you, it certainly does not help your recovery." Heaven lectures him, because the light can only be accepted once the idiot stops undoing his progress over and over, as the doctor is certain he's done.

"I don't know why you insist on sacrificing yourself, but there's not going to be anymore of that bullshit, you hear me? My Sisters want you to live and so you need to live for them, because dying would destroy them emotionally before literally, as we've learned. Live so you can prove that they were right to trust you and forgive you, ya dumbass. Which means you need to stop doing things like this, as helpful as they are, because they only hurt you and that's not what anyone wants." Mikoto hisses, more than done with how many self-sacrificing morons she knows who would die for their cause and think nothing of it, as long as those they love get out ok.

"I'll uncover a path that leads me into the light, both as the family head of the Rosenthall's and also as your pupil." More tears start to gather in her eyes, but the confidence, the determination, the strength in her eyes remains, clearly she had indeed learned something from all of this as well. "My Master." She closes her eyes, trying to remain together. His back is still turned to her, the hospital clothes making him look so much weaker, the bandages on his head and the parts of his visible hands lending to that. "Can you do that, all on your own?" The question surprises her, the blonde letting out a gasp.

"Hit the head right on the nail, didn't you? Did she tell you or did you just know?" Yoshikawa asks, well aware that sometimes he gets gut feelings that are certain of things he has no way of knowing.

"Fuckin feeling. Damn brat said nothing to me, but I also knew it was going to happen, because the entire reason she brought the bitch back was to free the girl's damn soul into peace." Accelerator grumbles, annoyed though he hopes his words help the blonde.

"I'm so glad she is trying to make herself a better path, but using her naivety against her is not nice, since you know she's not going to spot you sacrificing yourself for her, though she certainly knows it won't be good for you." Index groans, well aware that others would take advantage of the blonde's naivety in another way and extremely grateful she ran into the albino, who has a set of morals despite how weird they may seem to others.

"I think that might've been a bit too direct, don't you?" Mikoto asks with a wince, wondering why he would say that, especially since there's no way he could've known about the promise or anything else.

"No, if he had not asked, then I have no doubt, she would have stumbled before she even left the city, since I doubt she's going to stay. Besides, he would've given her money or an offer for safety if she had said no, there's nothing in me that doubts that." Touma says easily, because Accelerator has a soft and gentle demeanor to those who need his help if they are precious to him, and he would offer them help, even if its back handed, hidden or with lots of complaints.

"My boy, I'm so damn proud of you, helping others out!" Yomikawa exclaims, wrapping the teen in a hug he doesn't even bother to dodge, in fact he appears to lean a bit hesitantly into the touch, like he's trying to not duck away or just sit there not really participating, lifting a hand to gently hold her arm, which is progress they will take at this point.

"I think he might be onto something, because if he's not direct with her, will she really get what he's trying to say? Besides, that's pretty much how he is." Heaven points out, because the blonde is not quite skilled enough to notice just yet a subtle thing asking if she'll survive alone.

She gives a small smile. "Yes." She lifts her hand. "Because-" She slowly extends her pinkie. "-I'm not alone." The red ball is still floating in the air, but Esther has left now, gone out the window same as she came. He has not moved and there is no evidence the conversation ever happened. The hospital, potentially the same day. "Let me spell it out." Last Order has a hold of something and is tugging. "Misaka can look after him just-" She looks a bit offended as well as scared. "-fine on her own, explains Misaka Misaka, rejecting help from an unsolicited busybody." Another Sister is across from her, wearing pink clothes as well as a pink hat. "This visit is only because Misaka wishes to thank him again for saving her, says Misaka, responding in a professional nurse like tone though her heart is all aflutter." The two are tugging a sheet between them, looking just like siblings. "Misaka is doing this!" The Sister pulls at the sheet. "Let go!" The tiny girl grunts. The two descend into bickering that can barely be discerned from the other. Two people are watching, their legs shown, before it's revealed to be Yomikawa and Yoshikawa, one in her armor and the other in yellow and pink clothes.

"This is why I don't fucking stick around for this shit, listening to them would just have me kicking them both out and then they would mope around, while I fixed the damn bed just so I can get some sleep, fuckin hell!" Accelerator groans, because he knows the Sisters are like this all the time and he could really do with them just not, sometimes.

"You managed to remind her of her promise, a good thing. Aww, the Sisters really do love you, but what are the two of you doing, just standing there watching?" Mikoto muses amused, especially since both of the women look so damn confused, and the difference in their levels of dress - one looking extremely professional and the other like they just got out of bed - is also great.

"Honestly, I was really starting to wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into, but I was not regretting it, not in the least." Yomikawa mutters, rather easily recalling the feelings of exasperation, worry and fear she had been feeling because could she really care for two people like that?

"Good lord, tell me they are not always fuckin like that, please! The Sisters I run into are not like that, at least... I don't think so?" Touma tilts his head, suddenly not certain if the Sisters are being honest with him or not, simply because he knows some of them act weird but they're never anything like that around him.

"God, I can recall wondering what the hell the two of them were arguing about because we really didn't know much at the time, but now I understand and really wish I could have left the damn room." Yoshikawa moans, because they had stayed there for far too long just to listen to the two little brats argue.

"I want to know which of my nurses thought that was a good idea." Heaven grumbles, because he knows he told them not to let the Sisters do anything to Accelerator's room, so they must've been new, exhausted or the Sister had found the stuff on her own, none of which would surprise him, honestly.

"They really are siblings, aren't they? I wasn't sure before now, but after seeing this, it's true. They're siblings vying for their dad's attention, even when he's not there." Index deadpans, watching the Sisters tug on the bed sheets.

Yomikawa has a hand on her hip, while Yoshikawa is clutching her left arm with her right hand, both looking confused, worried and maybe a bit amused. Yomikawa turns with a small amused grunt and smile to look at Yoshikawa, who turns with her own amused smile in return. Windmills and the glass windows. Accelerator staring at the sky, the bandages around his head still. "Same crap head of a city, like always. There are villains who plotted this incident, still creeping around." He sounds exhausted just thinking about it, though the last bit is said with annoyance. "As long as we stay in this-" There are 5 empty coffee cans, three of them looking dirty and two looking newer. "-city, villains will have to remain villains. Otherwise, we won't be able to protect anything." He lifts the can to his lips, as an explosion rings out quite a distance from him.

"Are you really saying you remained a villain in order to protect her? What good does that do, though?" Index wonders, because how can him remaining a villain, in the dark but living with the light, help the tiny girl?

"Oh, Accelerator... There is no need for you to be a villain, after all you can easily build a reputation for yourself once you step into the light, and I don't doubt at fucking all that it will make people want to stay away from you just as much as your dark reputation will." Yomikawa coos, more than used to the idiots' antics because she has a hunch why he stopped showing up at the apartment so often.

"I can't say you're wrong, but you certainly could do with some time in the light instead of drowning alone in the depths of humanity's darkness and depravity where you should never have been in the first place." Yoshikawa refutes, because how could she possibly approve of him remaining a villain after she's seen the damage it's done to him, even if she also knows that it does help him.

"You two already look like you are seeing your future and are rather enjoying it. But, Accelerator, surely you must know that you do not have to keep being a villain just to keep Last Order safe, right?" Touma worries, because if the boy remains in the dark much longer, the noir is not certain he'll ever completely recover from the mental and emotional scars he's got, as well as the still open wounds.

"Oh, I see now..." Heaven muses, because taking that train of thought into account, a lot of the albino's actions now make a shit ton of sense.

"Wait, I don't think you have to be a damn villain anymore, but what the hell just happened in front of you? Are you really not going to react to that shit at all?" Mikoto demands, because he is sitting several stories high in the air on a beam and an explosion just went off in front of him, but he's not reacted in any way, whatsoever. 

He looks up with a confused and intrigued "Hmm?" can still to his lips, the light on his battery green. Something is falling, a pod-like shape, fire all around it. He lowers the can, as the thing crashes close by to him, the impact moving his hair just the slightest bit. A drone comes down, black with red dots and opens fire from the side with open sky, the albino tipping the can to take another drink. One lands, the coffee cup going flying with a hole in it, the liquid flying through the air. He looks horrified at that. Before he grunts, the anger and annoyance coming in. He rises with a growl, his grin way too sharp. He lashes out, fist hitting the metal and knocks a ton of them down, watching until the last one hits the drone.

"Over a can of coffee, really?" Mikoto deadpans, because that's not really the reaction she was expecting.

"I think part of it is also PTSD from being shot in the head and having gunfire so close to him when his power was not on and thus he had no way to defend himself." Yoshikawa mutters, because there had been genuine fear in his gaze, not that she can blame him for that, she still flinches at loud noises herself.

"You idiot, why would you not have put your damn reflect on as soon as that thing hit anywhere near you? The bullets would've never gotten close to you!" Yomikawa berates the albino, because honestly, he's punishing himself in the worst way possible and she hates watching him do it, which is why she interferes.

"Yes, you defend the coffee! How dare they shoot it and waste that much!" Touma cries, because he knows the coffee is expensive, but it's a waste to use perfectly good money and then have the coffee not get a chance to be finished before losing it or having to leave it behind.

Index just smacks him, because he really needs to think about things other than wasted coffee, like Accelerator being triggered by the sound of gunshots, as well as the closeness to him, and even the extreme reaction that was likely caused mostly by fear, because she has no doubt that the drone is a goner.

"Misaka thinks you really should stop hanging out in such high places, they do nothing but bring you trouble, grumbles Misaka Misaka, well aware she can not get you to stp, even if she really wants you to." Last Order is pouting, because trying to get the albino to stop anything is not an easy task, as proven by the fact that the idiot still blames himself for things he did his best with.

More metal continues to fall around him, pipes and other things as well. The red thing opens, a white material coming out. Accelerator turns, the sound having drawn his attention, only his right eye open. A girl, blonde hair, with black something and a slightly darker skin tone. She wearing a white dress, black cords having kept her from falling, the dress not going any lower than her knees. She's out. Accelerator stares at her for a few moments, the battery light red. The girl had been in a suitcase kind of thing, the albino standing several feet to the side on the beam it had landed on, his hands on his hips. "Honestly, this-" The entire top of the tower is destroyed, a bunch of dirt rising as the metal hits the ground. "-damn city. It never gets boring." He sounds amused as he says that. 

"Why do you sound so amused? You were almost shot and definitely just destroyed way more than you needed to to take out that drone!" Yomikawa argues, more than annoyed with the asshole she took into her care and how reckless he can be.

"That can't be good..." Touma mutters, nervous for what that girl might mean for the damn albino.

"Good god, do you ever get a break?" Mikoto demands, her exasperation clear as day at the shit the teen has to deal with.

"I see... Your recovery was much worse than I thought, though that certainly explains why I had to wrap you up and increase your stay," Heaven murmurs, not quite sure how he feels about that.

"Alright, I think it's time we get to the real shit, so let's got to sleep and then we'll talk." Yoshikawa groans, getting up and stretching before heading off to her room. The others follow, with a bit of talking between them, before they separate for their rooms.

The adults have no issue falling asleep, because while the talk the next day will not be easy in any means, they're hoping it will help the lot of them work through everything, as hard and painful as it will be. Index is stuck wondering what the hell was wrong with those wings and why the city is trying so hard to destroy itself, because it's pretty clear Accelerator has no control over them, but that's for tomorrow.

Touma and Last Order are wondering how much they're going to have to hurt the albino before they can move on, because there's no way they won't all hurt him in asking the questions they must ask and in the talk in general tomorrow. Mikoto is only thinking of one questions she plans on asking him, because his answer will determine whether she forgives him for his part of the experiment or not.

Accelerator is not looking forward to it at all, because he can only imagine the things they're going to want to talk about and question, as well as how much it will hurt him, but he'll take it and answer honestly, because they deserve nothing less and they've seen him at his best and at his worst, surely nothing else could be as bad?